ST JOHNS – Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer fell ill while in Washington for the Conference of the Caribbean summit with
United States President George W. Bush and other senior United States officials, but he has laughingly dismissed reports that he was seriously ill or incapacitated.

For about two hours on Wednesday evening, the prime minister received treatment for a stomach problem at a hospital
in Washington.

Word that the prime minister had been transported to the hospital sparked rumours at home that he had collapsed. This, he indicated, was never the case.

"Well, as you can see, I'm able to speak and I just want to reassure the people of Antigua and Barbuda that I am very much alive and kicking. Yes, I had a bit of a stomach ailment."

(Antigua Sun)