$600,000 for Manning's air ambulance to US hospital

File: Patrick Manning meets with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar - May 2010

The Newsday newspaper reported Saturday that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has approved US$91,000 (TT$585,130) to cover the cost of an air ambulance to transport Patrick Manning to the Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington DC.

Manning suffered a stroke two weeks ago and is being sent to the U.S. for additional medical treatment.

Newsday said Persad-Bissessar told the paper her predecessor's family asked for the financial assistance to send Manning overseas.

The paper said Persad-Bissessar advised that she gave verbal approval for the assistance at Thursday's Cabinet meeting. She said Manning is likely to leave for Washington over the weekend, accompanied by his wife, Hazel.

Manning suffered the stroke at his home in Vistabella on January 23 and was admitted to the san Fernando General Hospital where a team of doctors has been attending to him.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives announced on Friday that he has granted Manning 90 days leave of absence from the House due to “continued illness.”