The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE the Progressive Liberal Party’s state of mourning for the death of former National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, a fight among party supporters erupted on Thursday night following his memorial service.

A social media video of the argument inside the PLP’s Bain and Grants Town constituency office at Meadow Street, shows two women in PLP t-shirts arguing and punching each other as attempts were made to separate them.

Some watching the fight could be heard in the room encouraging the women to continue assaulting each other.

A 30-second clip of the fight, which was recorded and circulated by messaging platform WhatsApp and social media site Facebook, quickly made its rounds on Friday, shocking some viewers and outraging others.

This prompted the Bain and Grants Town Branch of the PLP to release a statement “decrying” the fight.

“We deeply regret the circulation of a video of a conflict between individuals in our constituency office following last night's memorial for Dr Bernard Nottage.” the brief statement said.

“The conflict itself was not during the memorial, which was conducted peacefully and with due reverence to the occasion. This matter arose after the event ended and all the officials had left.

“The fight is bad enough and an insult to all that Dr Nottage stood for. The real injury is that someone would be so insensitive as to post and circulate such a video. Dr Nottage stood against violence of any kind and went to his death fighting for programmes to aid in conflict resolution.”

“Our branch further commits itself to continuing his work in this area. We decry both the fight and the circulation of the video. We appeal to all to live in peace.

“Let our friend and brother Bernard Nottage rest in peace,” the statement said..

The former Bain and Grants Town representative died last Wednesday evening in a Florida hospital, according to a statement from his family.

The 71 year old was airlifted to the United States on Friday after spending three days in the Intensive Care Unit at Doctors Hospital.

Dr Nottage was survived by his wife, the former Portia Butterfield, and their two sons.

In a statement, Dr Nottage’s family described him as “a husband, dad, papa, brother, uncle, godfather, friend and a Bahamian nationalist.”

The family expressed sincere thanks to everyone who “reached out” and thanked the management, staff and physicians at Doctors Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic in the United States “for the professional care rendered to him”.