By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Bain and Grants Town MP Dr Bernard Nottage was said to be receiving treatment at a hospital in Florida yesterday.

Progress Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts told The Tribune that the 71-year-old statesman was airlifted to the United States on Friday.

In an earlier statement, Dr Nottage was said to be “making some progress” in his recovery after he was admitted to hospital locally last Tuesday.

PLP officials said the former minister of national security was “gravely ill” in the Intensive Care Unit at Doctors Hospital.

Another source familiar with his condition indicated that Dr Nottage appeared to be on the mend last week, adding that there was some level of responsiveness being exhibited by the former Cabinet minister.

Last Wednesday, scores of family members, friends and former colleagues descended on Doctors Hospital as reports of Dr Nottage’s critical state began to circulate.

There were also false rumours on social media that he had died.

However, those claims were later debunked by a family statement which clarified his condition and asked for continued privacy.

Dr Nottage has faced two public health scares this year - appearing ill during a campaign rally last month and becoming disoriented when he addressed the House of Assembly in February.

He was defeated in the 2017 general election by 22-year-old Travis Robinson.