PM to go Tobago for brother's funeral

THE PRIME MINISTER will be going to Tobago for his eldest brother’s funeral which will be held on Thursday.

Dr Rowley's brother, Matthias Joseph, died last Friday. He was 81. His death was not covid19 related.

Rowley said he may be there for a couple days after the funeral.

Responding to questions of his own health, mentally and physically, the Prime Minister said he was doing well and attributed his health and strength to the citizens of TT.

“I draw my strength from the people of TT. I have seen so many good aspects of how we are coping.”

Rowley, along with dealing with the virus and his brother’s passing spoke of his daughter who is also hunkered down in New York where over two thousand people have died.

“Every hour I think of my daughter… every hour I think of NY.”

He commended the ministry of health and the public health division for their yeoman’s service in dealing with the virus. He took the time to publicly acknowledge their work of Dr Roshan Parasram and the public health department of the ministry of health saying they stepped up to the challenge of the virus and are treating with it well.

“I started off this conversation with saying we have strengths and we have weaknesses. And one of the strengths I knew I would count on the strength of the ministry of health. They might do a thousand processes, and one goes wrong that is the one that labels the ministry as the worst. Trinidad is not a real place right? But I know that some of the best quality personnel on the public payroll in this country is in the ministry of health and when called upon as they are every day, those 999 procedures goes well.

“This arrangement, that investment of human capital and infrastructure has come to the fore as one of the strengths of TT. I am hoping that we don’t lose that strength by behaving improperly.”