Former SVG PM Sir James Mitchell in hospital

Former Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir James Mitchell, is under care at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown.

The Searchlight newspaper reports Sir James was transferred via Medevac vessel from Bequia Hospital on Saturday.

He is said to have dengue haemorrhagic fever, which is causing other health issues.

Sir James, now 90, has been battling a litany of health woes. These include gallstones, pain and vomiting, a urinary tract infection, there was evidence of kidney failure and he had an enlarged prostate. He also fell four months ago.

His daughter Louise Mitchell confirmed the dengue diagnosis, saying all of the other issued were related to it.

“Now that they know he has Dengue, they know that has been the cause of all of those organs being affected,” she said, “So now that there is this diagnosis, they can treat him much better because they know exactly what they’re dealing with.”

“He is looking a bit brighter this afternoon than he did earlier today. He’s communicating very well and he has lots of praise for the doctors and nurses that have been looking after him and he is very grateful for all the love and support he’s getting from people,” she also disclosed.

“From time to time I go through his phone, and read him all his messages, and he’s always happy to hear from people,” she said.

Sir James was born in Bequia and became a parliamentarian at age 35. He was Prime Minister from 1984 to 2000 and head of the New Democratic Party (NDP), which he founded in 1975.