Opposition wants private sector input in vaccine roll-out

GOVERNMENT should take its cues from the private sector for its vaccination roll-out plan, suggested UNC MPs Dr Lackram Bodoe and David Lee.

Bodoe commended the Maufacturing Association and the Supermarket Association for setting the example of how a large-scale vaccination programme should be handled.

“The Government should borrow some planning and execution skills from the private sector. They had a very successful roll out last weekend at the Divali Nagar site where over 7,000 vaccines were administered in one day with no hiccups.”

Bodoe said it was important to involve other sectors in the vaccination programme and the Government should utilise the private sector’s management and organisational skills.

The Government, he said, had more than a year to plan the vaccine roll-out, yet failed to adequately execute it.

He questioned what happened to the plan to digitise the country and said there are many people qualified to create a digitised appointment system.

“I would like the Government to give a complete and comprehensive vaccination plan. I don’t mean by coming on television and instructing the nation, we keep talking about digital transformation, yet we are unable to have some sort of online system in place to facilitate these appointments.”

He said the past week created anger and despair in many people because of the poor execution of the walk-in vaccination programme.

“You can’t have one year to plan and continue to have disaster after disaster and then come to the population to apologise. An apology is not enough.

“The citizens deserve more than that, especially when we have citizens dying in double digits,” Bodoe said.

People, he said, are not being informed that they are still at risk of contracting and spreading covid19 until 14 days after they received their full inoculation.

Lee said there are many talented event planners in the country who put together large events like Carnival and the Government should tap into those skill sets.

“Our fete promoters, they have the talent and understand the logistics. I ask the Government to work with these people in coming up with this plan. They are offering their services free of charge,” Lee said.

Both Bodoe and Lee called for the resignation or firing of Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.