Trinidad and Tobago: Member of Parliament from Oropouche West, Davendranath Tancoo, extends his congratulates to the United National Congress (UNC) and its leader Kamla Persad Bissessar and challenged PM Rowley to the shown letter which proves that his efforts made it possible to get vaccines from India.
Notably, in its official statement, UNC strongly claimed that T&T gets 40,000 vaccines from India because of Kamla Persad efforts.
MP Dev Tancoo said, “Today, we were elated to learn that the Government of India has agreed to donate 40,000 doses of approved Covid-19 vaccines. We congratulate the UNC Leader for her initiative in pursuing this donation. However, we note with curiosity and concern the PM’s release in which he claims that the gift was based on his correspondence with PM Modi. “
“We challenge PM Rowley to publish his letter showing clearly where he asked for donations as it is a matter of public record that he referenced persons who wrote asking for donations as beggars, distancing himself from any such practice. The insult to the Leader of the Opposition and the CARICOM Prime Ministers who wrote to PM Modi seeking donated vaccines was deliberate. Indeed, the entire Government engaged in name-calling, denigrating Mrs Bissessar, for her correspondence. It is therefore ironic that he now claims ownership of the donation by India, claiming that it was based on his correspondence to India. ” MP added.
“The Oropouche West Executive joins with the national community in demanding that PM Rowley publish a true copy of his letter of February 23rd 2021. requesting donations. Should he be unwilling or unable to prove that he in fact made such a request then Dr Rowley would have acted inappropriately once more in issuing his release claiming credit for the donation and would have moreover acted in a disingenuous manner in not recognising the involvement and influence of Mrs Bissessar’s correspondence on this matter. It is already a matter of public record that Mrs Bissessar, acting in the public interest and out of concern for the lives of our citizens, wrote requesting donated vaccines from the Government and people of India on February 23rd 2021. acting in the public interest.” the statement added.
In conclusion, Oropouche West MP statement said, “We also join the rest of the country in thanking UNC Leader Kamla Persad – Bissessar for her initiative in securing these donated vaccine doses. We reserve comment on the potential for donated vaccines from China until details about the WHO approval and the vaccine efficacy rate is established since it is only then that these vaccines can realistically be considered for use.
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