Ansa McAl among companies providing covid19 support

THE Ansa McAl Group is listed among the 46 private-sector companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that provided voluntary support to the national covid19 response last year.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Health Ministry on Wednesday.

The ministry said in acknowledgement of the generous contributions made by these entities to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, letters of appreciation were sent to them. It reiterated its thanks to all these organisations.

In addition to Ansa McAl, other contributors were Atlantic LNG, Digicel, Massy Group of Companies, National Gas Company, Shell, TSTT, Nestle, Republic Bank, Syrian/Lebanese Women's Association and Blue Waters.

In the Senate on Tuesday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh rejected claims that Government was unable to pay the US$8.4 million cost of 351,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines which the ANSA McAl Group offered to buy for the Government to distribute to the public.

His statement reflected the Prime Minister's statement last Thursday that Government was not begging anyone for covid19 vaccines.

Deyalsingh also insisted that there was no conflict between statements by the Government and the Ansa McAl Group over a proposal from the latter for buying and supplying vaccines for distribution to the public.

He also said Ansa McAl Group CEO Anthony N Sabga III, Supermarkets Association president Rajiv Diptee and himself "will be working to procure safe WHO-approved vaccines for TT if available to the private sector. We assure the public that if and when there is a viable outcome, we will alert the public."

In a statement on Tuesday, the Health Ministry said letters of appreciation dated February 26, 2021 were sent to various private-sector firms "in recognition of their unstinting support to the Ministry of Health and the people of TT, for their generous contributions during the covid19 period of 2020."

The ministry said it was unfortunate that the contents of the letter were being associated with the procurement of vaccines in 2021 "when that was not the intention of the letter.

Companies and NGOs that volunteered covid19 support in 2020:

AS Bryden & Sons (Trinidad) Ltd

AA Laquis

Advance Foam Ltd

Amalgamated Security Services

Amplia Communications Ltd

Angostura Ltd

ANSA McAL Ltd

Atlantic LNG

bp TT LLC

BHP Trinidad and Tobago

Blue Waters Products Ltd

Coca-Cola Caribbean Bottlers Trinidad and Tobago Ltd

Coconut Growers Association Ltd

DeNovo Energy Ltd

Digicel Trinidad and Tobago Ltd

First Caribbean National Bank Trinidad Ltd

GlaxoSmithKline Caribbean Ltd

Guardian Group

Kenson Group of CompaniesLtd Trinidad

Massy Group of Companies Ltd

Micon MarketingLtd

National Energy Centre of Trinidad and Tobago

National Gas Company

Nestle Trinidad and TobagoLtd

Nutrien

Parts World Ltd

Peake Technologies Ltd

Philip Morris International

Phoenix Park Gas Processors Ltd

Player Player Apparel Trinidad

Proman Trinidad Ltd

Republic Bank Ltd

Roche Pharmaceuticals Trinidad and Tobago

Sagicor General Insurance/Sagicor Financial Centre

Scotia Bank Trinidad and TobagoLtd

Sewa International Trinidad and Tobago

Shell Trinidad and TobagoLimited

Southern Sales & Services Company Ltd

Syrian/Lebanese Women’s Association Trinidad

TSTT

Kidney Recipient Support Group of Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad Generation Unlimited

Trinidad TissuesLtd/Grand Bay paper Products Ltd

Unicomer Ltd (Courts)

V&S Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Ven Caribbean Paper Products Ltd