(Trinidad Express) After nine days of no food and water, environmental activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh was rushed to a private hospital yesterday evening.
By 6.30 yesterday, Kublalsingh accepted intravenous drips at the St Clair Medical Centre.
Kublalsingh’s younger brother, Hayden, yesterday said his brother complained of “an extra level of tiredness” and “feeling faint”, and the family took control of the situation and took him to the private institution from a “private residence” nearby.
“Dr Kublalsingh has accepted IV fluids because of the level of deterioration, but his hunger strike continues,” the younger Kublalsingh said yesterday.
By 7.30 p.m., the family was not sure whether he would be staying overnight but said the proximity to the intensive care unit (ICU) would factor into their final decision. Later, the family said he would definitely stay overnight.
Kublalsingh initially faced a tougher challenge yesterday as hundreds of Government supporters faced off against the Highway Re-Route Movement.
Though over ten bus loads of Government supporters arrived at Kublalsingh’s hunger strike camp yesterday, many of them were not sure why they were there.
Several of the supporters raised printed placards saying “Do not stop the highway…build it now” but could not say where they got those signs or who provided them.
Norbert Sookram, who said he was from Penal and claimed to be the spokesman for the loud contingent, stopped some of the placard-bearing supporters from speaking to the media, telling them, “They trying to be smart; they want to know when we print these signs.”
“We always had those signs since this thing started years ago,” he said. When asked why the signs still looked new, Sookram only smiled and reiterated, “Those are old signs.”
Sookram is the Containment manager of the Land Settlement Agency, which falls under Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal.
More than ten buses lined St Clair Avenue, and Government supporters remained scattered under the small trees or in the buses while approximately 70 people shouted anti-Kublalsingh chants at his group gathered under a tent.
At one point, concerned police brought barricades, keeping the two groups more than 15 feet away from each other, on either side of the entrance to the Prime Minister’s office.
One man wearing a yellow “Diego loves Kamla” T-shirt was unclear of why he was at the protest. He said he worked for the CEPEP Company and said his “boss” told him to head down to Port of Spain and get on a bus.
“I thought we were going down to by the Hyatt (hotel); I don’t know what we doing here but is something for (Prime Minister) Kamla (Persad-Bissessar),” he said.
“We support we Prime Minister; we support the highway; we support we Prime Minister,” the group kept shouting.
When Kublalsingh’s group started shouting back at them, he was helped to a seated position and called on his group of supporters to “leave them, it is a democracy”.
During the heat of the day, Kublalsingh admitted to feeling overheated, and his body was continually cooled with water and washcloths.
Kublalsingh remained motionless and meditating for most of the day but by midday was taken into the ambulance for another blood test.
Though there was speculation that IV fluids would be administered then, Kublalsingh was returned to his cot and said after understanding that his vitals were stable, he decided against the fluids.
“Though my kidneys are deteriorating, and they say that based on the amount of urine and the colour, and my heart is in danger, I am fine and I am continuing,” he said.
As the day closed, Kublalsingh said he was taking this weekend to “rest” at the family’s home but planned to be back at the strike camp by Monday.
