PM confirms that her gift for Chavez was holy water from Mount St Benedict

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has confirmed to local media that the gift she presented last week to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was a bottle of sacred water from Mount St Benedict.

Persad-Bissessar was in Caracas last weekend to attend the inaugural meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), which Chaves hosted.

"It is true," she told the Express newspaper. "The Venezuelan Ambassador advised that it would be appropriate, he's a very devout Catholic and indeed she suggested it may be an appropriate gift for him."

Persad-Bissessar added, "He was very pleased to get that gift and he indicated he would want to come here now to get more of that Holy Water at Mount St Benedict, he's a very devout Catholic...he seemed quite happy if I may so myself but you might want to ask him but it was on the advice of the Venezuelan Ambassador".

Chavez recently received treatment for cancer in Cuba. He has said he is cured.