VINCENTIAN Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves leaves for home tomorrow after a 10-day stay in Barbados following surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a skin abcess. “I am grateful for the medical attention and personal care I received during the two nights I spent at the QEH as well as the warm treatment during my period of recuperation at a beach resort on the east  coast of Barbados”, the Prime Minister said in a brief telephone interview yesterday.
Gonsalves, 65, was on his way to participate at an UNCTAD conference in Qatar when he was deemed too ill to travel. He had earlier experienced pain before leaving  St. Vincent and the Grenadines, having earlier attended the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Colombia.
He would provide details of his illness and treatment in Barbados to the Vincentian people in a live radio and television broadcast, possibly on Thursday.
The Prime Minister said he was “particularly touched” by the personal calls received from across the CARICOM region by various Heads of Government, leading officials and diplomats inquiring about his health and wishing him a speedy recovery.
Among those making telephone calls were former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Patrick Manning–currently hospitalised in the USA and progressively recovering from a stroke suffered at home last month—and also Prime Minister Freundel Stuart who was at the time out of Barbados.
Local visitors included then acting Prime Minister of Barbados, Richard Sealy and, as Gonsalves explained, “the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs was always there to check on my recuperation in comfort…”
“A particularly pleasant moment”, he recalled, “was when a member of staff of the Foreign Ministry organised a choir group to sing for me….”
Leaving tomorrow with the Prime Minister would  be his wife Eloise who has been his constant companion since he became ill in Barbados.
He said his government colleagues were keeping him “fully abreast” of events and developments at home and I am grateful for the prayers and good wishes of the Vincentian people”.