Youth MPs address mandatory covid19 vaccination

THE nation's youth parliamentarians took on the topical issue of mandatory covid19 vaccination in secondary schools and workplaces during the 19th National Youth Parliament on Monday.

The Youth Parliament was held partially at the Red House in Port of Spain, which some members being physically present and spaced out in one room, while other members participated virtually from other locations.

At the end of an intense and sometimes passionate two-hour debate, the government defeated the opposition's motion to implement mandatory covid19 vaccinations in schools and workplaces by a vote of 15-11.

Opposition leader Kalvyn Seepersad (from the Trinidad Youth Council) said given recent increases in covid19 cases and deaths, he questioned the effectiveness of government's strategy to deal with the virus.

"These figures are testament to the current administration's inability to deal with this problem."

While mandatory vaccination appears draconian, Seepersad said such a policy must be well thought out before being implemented.

Prime Minister Cyan Gomes (from COSTAATT) countered her opposite number.

"We are saying not right now."

Gomes provided data to show that despite low numbers of people being vaccinated against covid19, people were still coming of their own free will to be vaccinated.

"Mandatory vaccination is not a proportionate response to what we are trying to achieve." Gomes added, "We have not exhausted all our options to increase our vaccination rates."

Attorney general Alexandra Ghany (from UWI's At Augustine campus) gave a contribution that seemingly mirrored that of incumbent Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi: "This government is pro-vaccination. To suggest otherwise is ludicrous."

Ghany believed mandatory vaccination would not increase covid19 vaccination rates.

"This is a problem of vaccine hesitancy. People are scared."

Couva South MP Wynsty Boochoon (ASJA Girls' College, San Fernando) supported Seepersad.

"We have exhausted all possible avenues. We are at a stalemate."

Boochoon ended her contribution with a moment of silence for the over 2,000 people in TT who have died from covid19."

Couva North MP Priya Sookram (St Joseph's Convent, San Fernando) warned it was only a matter of time before the omicron covid19 variant enters TT.

"How do you plan to respond these new variants?" she asked government MPs.

Health Minister Riyaah Frederick (Goodwood Secondary School) said there is an 82 per cent recovery rate from covid19 in TT.

Agriculture Minister Johnason Solomon (Barrackpore East Secondary School) said, "This (mandatory vaccination) policy is going to be a logistical nightmare."

Moruga/Tableland MP Cheyenne Calliste (San Juan North Secondary School) scoffed, "We have a government that is misrepresenting vaccination. Vaccination cards go hand in hand with cinema tickets."

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Aaliyah Clarke (COSTAATT) described the opposition's motion as plaster being haphazardly applied to someone with chickenpox. She cited unrest in Martinique and Guadeloupe as examples of mandatory covid19 vaccination policies backfiring.

.