CodeIgniter model modified to use PDO Library

Model.php

class CI_Model {

	/**
	 * Constructor
	 *
	 * @access public
	 */

	private $pdo = null;

	function __construct()
	{
		try
		{
	    	$pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=' . MYSQL_LOCALE . ';dbname=' . MYSQL_DB, MYSQL_USER, MYSQL_PASS, 
			array(PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_INIT_COMMAND => "SET NAMES utf8"));
		}
		catch(PDOException $e)
		{
			die ('DATABASE CONNECTION ERROR: ' . $e->getMessage());
		}
		log_message('debug', "Model Class Initialized");
	}

	/**
	 * __get
	 *
	 * Allows models to access CI's loaded classes using the same
	 * syntax as controllers.
	 *
	 * @param	string
	 * @access private
	 */
	function __get($key)
	{
		$CI =& get_instance();
		return $CI->$key;
	}
}