Newly-elected Congress of the People (COP) leader Prakash Ramadhar said yesterday he has met with all the leaders in the People's Partnership Government except for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar whom he said is ill.

"I have had discussions with other leaders except the Prime Minister. She is suffering the fate I had of the virus for the last week, so I have not troubled her but I expect this week to meet with her," said Ramadhar.

He was speaking at the Spring Village Community Centre where he presented industrial fans to the centre.

The Express contacted the Prime Minister's national security adviser Gary Griffith to enquire about her health.

He said he was not aware of her being ill.

He said Persad-Bissessar was yesterday chairing a meeting at Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

Ramadhar won the COP leadership elections on July 3. On that day Persad-Bissessar returned from St Kitts where she had attended a Caricom meeting.

She had then extended her congratulations to Ramadhar and said she looked forward to working with him.

Ramadhar spoke of the meetings he held with the other leaders of the Partnership.

"We intend to work much more closely with each other. As you know one of the priorities is the structure of the partnership and that will ensure the sustainability of the People's Partnership, the success of this Government and the success of the Prime Minister," he said.

Asked about the splitting of the Works and Transport Ministry and its possible impact on Minister Jack Warner, Ramadhar said:

"(Warner's) a deeply adored person in Trinidad and Tobago, his ability to work is legendary. I would not want to add any sense of disrespect to him."

Asked if there were any plans for him to shift from the Parliament back bench to the front bench now that he is the COP leader, Ramadhar said: "I enjoy where I sit. I have no wish to move from where I am but that's a matter not to be decided by me..that's really a non-issue, where you sit doesn't matter. It's where you stand."