Kamla wants Govt to come clean on COVID vaccine deals

Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC MP, is calling on the Rowley Administration to tell the truth about their COVID-19 vaccines acquisition.

Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC MP, is calling on the Rowley Administration to tell the truth about their COVID-19 vaccines acquisition.

She tossed out the challenge on Monday night, during virtual political meeting held by the United National Congress (UNC).

Mrs Persad-Bissessar wants Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to explain why this country is so late in acquiring COVID-19 vaccines, especially since other Caribbean countries already have begun administering their doses.

“Barbados got vaccines before Trinidad and Tobago.  How come?  Did we ask the Government of India?  Did we ask any government?  We need answers,” she said.

“Is it true that the company in Trinidad and Tobago who is the dealer or the agent or distributor for AstraZeneca, is known to you, Mr Prime Minister, and to your ministers? Is it that you did not want to go down the road like Mia Mottley did and ask the Government of India?  You did not want to ask them because some company is lined up to be the importer and distributor,” the opposition leader queried.

She added: “I am not saying it is so.  I am asking whether it is so, because how could Barbados ask and get?  Almost every single CARICOM country, except us, got vaccines from India.  What is so wrong with Trinidad?”