Kamla tells Rowley: Stop race talk with covid19 vaccines

Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has accused the government of promoting racial division on the issue of obtaining covid19 vaccines, and chided the Prime Minister for describing challenges in receiving supplies as a "vaccine apartheid."

On Sunday, Dr Rowley noted an unequal distribution of vaccine,s likening it to apartheid.

At the UNC's virtual report forum on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar took issue with Rowley's description and accused him of resorting to race-baiting as an excuse for delays in the arrival of vaccines.

She also questioned whether the government was hesitant to ask for assistance in sourcing vaccines from the government of India.

Referring to the "Calcutta ship" remark made by former Tobago House of Assembly (THA) member Hilton Sandy in 2013 about Persad-Bissessar's People's Partnership, she said she was proud of her Indian heritage and called on the government to avoid using such terms.

"If we (Opposition) open our mouths we are immediately branded as racists.

"They (PNM) were the ones in Tobago that want to frighten people with a Calcutta ship. Well, I hope we get a Calcutta plane to bring the vaccines to TT. Fly in the vaccines, because we need those vaccines.

"You tie it up that I am a racist because I wrote to the government of India. I am a descendent of the people, and I am not ashamed of that."

Persad-Bissessar called on Rowley to explain in detail what he meant by the term "vaccine apartheid," saying several countries in Africa were receiving supplies of the vaccine directly from India without problem.