Dominican woman claiming to be world's oldest person dies
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
ROSEAU, Dominica: A Dominican woman, who relatives claim is the world's oldest person, is dead. The 128-year-old, Ms. Elizabeth ''Ma Pampo'' Israel, passed away yesterday morning at the Princess Margaret Hospital here Tuesday. She had been ailing in recent months at the island's premier health facility. Her death came as a shock to nationals.
Dominicans have reportedly been in a fight with the Guinness Book of Records to name the former estate worker as the world's most senior person. Guinness said they needed her original birth certificate to prove her age but government says it cannot be found.
With her death comes news that a group of doctors at the Ross University Medical School in Dominica would speed up their medical research on the age of the Portsmouth woman.
An official funeral for ''Ma Pampo'' is scheduled for next Wednesday in Portsmouth. Activist for the country's 20-plus centenarians, Mr. Alex Bruno, urged the government to declare a National Heroes Day in honour of Ms. Israel and others.
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