Former PM in high spirits

FORMER PRIME Minister Edward Seaga says from a Miami hospital bed that Jamaicans should not be distressed, despite the fact that he is now confined to hospital.

"He says to tell everybody that they are not to worry and that things are under control," Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange tells The Sunday Gleaner, yesterday.

bout of coughing

Seaga, who led Jamaica as prime minister from 1980 to 1989, was admitted to hospital Thursday following a bout of coughing while visiting relatives in Florida.

Grange says that the medical tests have ruled out pneumonia. She says, however, that doctors have conducted several tests on the former prime minister and he is awaiting the results.

"I figure that he will probably be resting there on the weekend and on Monday we will have all the details," Grange tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Grange says Seaga is in "very high spirits and, of course, still taking care of business here in Jamaica".

The 78-year-old Seaga retired from active politics in 2005 after a long and distinguished career in the public service. However, he still remains actively involved in academia and sports. He is the pro-chancellor at the University of Technology and distinguished fellow at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

Seaga also heads the Premier League Clubs Association, which represents football clubs that play in the national premier league, and is also president of the West Kingston Sports Development Trust.

Brian Rose, Tivoli's football team manager tells The Sunday Gleaner yesterday that the entire football family at the club is longing for Seaga to get well.

"We want to wish him a speedy recovery and hope that he will be on the bench with us very soon," Rose says.

Time for recovery

Meanwhile, Grange says Seaga, despite being anxious to return home, is prepared to spend some time on his recovery bed.

"What he told me was that he wanted to stay for whatever length of time necessary for them to do their investigation and to be able to determine how he can deal with this problem that has been so persistent over the years," Grange says

Grange says Seaga's coughing bouts were triggered by damage to one of his lungs, which occurred in 1974 after he contracted pneumonia.