Kamla: The Rowley PNM’s vaccine fiasco has shot T&T in the foot

The press conference today held by Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh should send alarm bells throughout the entire of Trinidad and Tobago, as it is now abundantly clear the Government has no real vaccination roll out plan.

It is fitting that Deyalsigh chose today to hold this press conference because he effectively said “April fools” to all those expecting to hear how the Government would finally outline their plans to vaccinate the population against Covid-19.

While announcing that three more persons have tragically died of Covid 19, Deyalsingh lethargically outlined a mundane and laborious method for phase 1 of vaccinating the public including having to call hotline numbers that many have already complained do not work.

Astonishingly, a full year into the pandemic, the Government’s online registration process is still not available with members of the public being forced to visit Health Centres in person to register.

When asked by reporters as to why, given the short expiry date, vaccines were only being administered a full week after arriving in the country, without shame, Deyalsingh answered that it was due to the Easter Holidays. Apparently, the small matter of saving lives during the pandemic is not enough to get this Rowley led government to give up their Easter vacation.

Either Deyalsingh is not taking the vaccination drive seriously or he is simply lazy and incompetent.

While berating the public in the usual arrogant style of this government, Deyalsingh did not notice the irony that his own Cabinet colleague, the Attorney General has been the most prominent violator of Covid 19 protocols this past week.

While many other nations have their vaccination rollouts well underway since the beginning of this year, this PNM Government is again measuring themselves by their own abysmally low standards.

Today T&T not only has the lowest rate of Covid-19 testing, but the lowest rate of vaccinated people in the region. This PNM regime continues to keep the public in the dark over serious questions.

These include: When can persons expect to be vaccinated against Covid -19?

Deyalsingh again today denied he asked the private sector for help purchasing vaccines. Who then is lying, Ansa McAl or Deyalsingh?

Given that 1000 vaccinations per day is woefully short to vaccinate our population quickly, what exactly are the Government’s plans, as they claim, to “ramp up” the process? The longer the PNM takes to ensure vaccines are rolled out, the more lives and livelihoods will be lost in Trinidad and Tobago.

Sadly, while citizens are demanding answers during this crisis, Keith Rowley is busy playing golf at his mansion in Tobago. Never in our history has there been a Prime Minister more disconnected from reality and responsibility than Keith Christopher Rowley.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Opposition Leader of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

1st, April 2021