Bajan backlash

BARBADIANS took to social media on Wednesday evening to properly roast Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh over his erroneous claim that 2,000 doses of the covid19 vaccine were not a donation from Barbados, but was part of a large batch gifted by the Indian Government for all of the Caribbean.

Last week Wednesday, Barbados donated 2,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to TT from a batch of 100,000 doses India had donated to Barbados. A hundred frontline medical workers received these vaccines at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility on Wednesday afternoon.

India donated a total of 100,000 vaccines to Barbados who subsequently donated 70,000 doses to Dominica, 2,000 to TT and 100 to Guyana.

But Deyalsingh sought to – or so he thought – correct the media on how they have been reporting on the acquisition of the vaccines.

Asked, at a Health Ministry briefing on Thursday, if Barbados had donated them, he said: “No, no, no, no, no, no, no...the government of India made a gift to the (Caribbean) region, using Barbados as a central depository. From that, we got 2,000.”

He also said Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne was in talks with the governments of India and China about vaccines.

But in a release later on Wednesday evening, Deyalsingh claimed he was misinformed and apologised, saying the vaccines were in fact a donation from Barbados. He also offered his “deepest gratitude to the people of Barbados for this kind gesture of regional collaboration.” Barbadians were not impressed.

A number of Barbadians took to Twitter asking for the 2,000 vaccines to be returned to Barbados, opining that TT was “ungrateful.”

One person said, “That’s on top of Barbados hosting their citizens last year, who they didn’t allow to get home at the beginning of the pandemic. That government soo (sic) uncouth.”

Another said, “It’s not just the fact he was wrong and strong, his whole attitude about the mere concept of us gifting it to them is the issue. We know how he feels. It burn he belly to admit this.”

One more said, “(We are the) smallest and always trying to lend a helping hand, only to have our efforts downplayed but you’re welcome.”

There were hundreds of similar comments, many including expletives.

Other comments included, “Shameful and reckless statement to make without verifying the facts,” “Sharp tongue you had before. You really feel somebody should accept this apology,” and “But it’s not even the issue of saying thanks. He was ready to discredit Barbados’ donation like we don’t have people that would like those doses all now.”

Other Bajans said Deyalsingh’s error was embarrassing and some TT citizens also went on social media to say they felt embarrassed.

The Prime Minister’s Office later posted a photo on Facebook of Dr Rowley with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley with the caption, “Today our frontline workers began receiving vaccines courtesy the generosity of our neighbour Barbados. I want to thank Prime Minister the Hon Mia Mottley for sharing her precious gift of covid19 vaccines with the people of TT.”

TT is expected to receive 100,000-120,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the Covax facility by the beginning of March.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar also had her say, calling on the Prime Minister to fire Deyalsingh immediately. She issued a release on Thursday saying Deyalsingh’s comments were “inexcusable and false.

“That TT has had to rely on vaccine donations from Barbados is a damning indictment on the Government.

“If we are to believe the Minister of Health that he did not know the source of the vaccines his own ministry administered to front line workers, he is clearly incompetent and unfit for his job. It perhaps also explains the shambolic manner in which the Keith Rowley regime has bungled the response to the pandemic.”

She said while other countries are speedily moving along with vaccinations, it seems TT may be the “last country in the world to be fully vaccinated.”

She added, “It is also beyond puzzling why the Rowley regime has not approached the Government of India for a supply of vaccines as did the Government of Barbados.”But on Wednesday, Deyalsingh confirmed to the media that TT and India were in talks about vaccines.

Newsday e-mailed Mottley’s press secretary Roy Morris for a comment but he said she was unavailable, since she was “chairing the weekly meeting of her Cabinet.”

But he added, “Prime Minister Mottley does appreciate your interest, and that of Newsday, in following the story to its logical end, but in the current circumstances is deeply engaged in urgent matters of state and cannot, therefore, break to respond to your enquiry.

“For the record, however, please note that the shipment of vaccines from Barbados to TT was a gesture of kindness and appreciation for the excellent relations that have existed between the two countries for years, and a tangible demonstration of our commitment to being part of a region that works together, especially in moments of crisis.”

He said TT’s Health Ministry had apologised and that “the Prime Minister sees absolutely no benefit to the people of Barbados, TT or the wider region in making more of it.

“On behalf of Prime Minister Mottley, I wish you and your colleagues at Newsday well as you continue to execute your duties.”