Deyalsingh: Young saved 17 deaths per day from covid19

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh hailed Minister of National Security Stuart Young for holding the line against detractors to maintain the border lockdown and so prevent a possible 510 covid19 deaths each month in Trinidad and Tobago.

Defending Young in a no-confidence debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Deyalsingh said TT’s performance against covid19 had been stellar, with other countries looking to it for leadership.

“We have been recognised by all global authorities as one of the best places to be in this pandemic.”

Comparing TT’s modest covid19 death toll of 134 people to that of the US, he suggested the former could have been worse had not Young been the man he was in protecting TT’s borders. Saying the US borders had been left open willy-nilly, he said that in a 331-million population, the death toll was 414,000.

“Do you know what their current daily death toll is in the US? Four thousand!

“Pro-rate that down to Trinidad, and tell me, TT, if you are prepared to accept that we should be like the US, with 4,000 deaths a day. Pro-rate it down to our population and that converts to 17 deaths a day.

“Are you going to be satisfied with 17 citizens of TT dying on a daily basis? I’m not prepared to accept that. That means 510 people will die a month. It means for the year, 6,120 persons will die. Those are the stark figures.”

Deyalsingh asked if the UNC would accept 17 citizens dying a day.

He said the Government stands with Young against the motion, which he said was frivolous and vexatious.

“The Minister of National Security, who is my colleague and my friend, has not only the full confidence of Cabinet but my personal confidence.

“I have seen a man at work taking the slings and arrows of the UNC.”

He lamented the UNC’s personal attacks on Young saying these would always fail.