Kamla asks PM to stop 'vaccination discrimination'

CHARGING discrimination in the selection of sites used to administer the Pfizer vaccine to children, the Opposition is calling on the Prime Minister to intervene for a more equitable distribution.

UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said large sectors of the children of the nation are being discriminated against geographically, owing to the failure to properly select sites for vaccinations.

The 14 sites for administering the jab to children between 12 and 18, according to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, are spread out throughout the country.

The sites in Trinidad are at Chaguaramas, Port of Spain, El Dorado, Wallerfield, Arima, Sangre Grande, Toco, the Divali Nagar site, Couva, Rio Claro, Pleasantville and La Brea.

Speaking on the United National Congress (UNC) Virtual Report platform on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar said significant communities with significant population densities have been largely ignored.

Chastising the Government for Trinidad and Tobago's being "the last country" to receive the vaccines, Persad-Bissessar said additionally it cannot use them in an equitable and fair manner.

She used an example the people in the densely populated communities of Debe and Penal.

“Poor people of Cuchawan Trace, Debe or Penal Rock Road now have to take their scarce dollars to travel to the MIC Centre in Pleasantville.”

She reminded her audience that her People’s Partnership Government had built an MIC Centre in Penal which was closed down by the present administration.

“Why not use it so the poor people of Penal and environs could have gone there? Why do you want to send them to Pleasantville? Why are you discriminating against them?

“Unemployed parents of Barrackpore and Siparia must go to La Brea. That’s it. One centre in La Brea."

She said children from Tabaquite will have to make their way to Arima, while the people of Las Lomas may have to go to Sangre Grande

She noted the absence of vaccination centres in Fyzabad, in Cunupia, Cedros, Point Fortin, Princes Town, Naparima, Moruga and several other districts with large numbers of poor citizens.

She suggested the use of schools in these areas for more equitable deployment

“This is another graphic example of the People’s National Movement (PNM's) twin sins of victimisation and incompetence, with malice as well.

“I call upon you, Prime Minister, to intervene and instruct your Minister of Education and your Minister of Health to have a more equitable distribution in terms of the selection of sites where the vaccines are to be administered to our children.

“Do not fail our children again. Do not play with their lives. You have already failed them when it comes to their education. Do not fail them when it comes to the protection of their health and therefore the protection of their lives.

“I call upon you, PM, do not leave it up to your incompetent ministers, because then you will be mirroring their incompetence as well.”

Persad-Bissessar also took issue with the drafting of “imprecise laws” throughout the pandemic which she said had left the population confused.

She said it is happening now with the retail sector, as many businesses are not sure which of the multiple statements apply to them

She used as an example the earlier confusion over whether the police were allowed to enter private homes to stop gatherings.

She said under a state of emergency (SoE) it is even more imperative for accessibility and certainty in the law, as police are given extraordinary powers with respect to rights and freedom.

“Each time Government announces a new restriction or lifts a restriction, the population ought to have a clear, easily accessible document that gives all the relevant information so they can understand the state of play.

“Instead, we have a jigsaw puzzle, comprising of, at this time, about five different pieces with multiple variations. It is irresponsible for the government to make laws in this haphazard, wishy-washy way and leave citizens to figure things out on their own.”