There has been no confirmation of any vaccine from India: PM Keith Rowley

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley recently shared another statement to clear the air on the ongoing vaccine issue in the country regarding COVID-19 vaccine from India.

PM Rowley stated that the first time he heard about any vaccines from India was from local doctors who were spoken to by the Indian High Commissioner – who did not speak to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr. Rowley made this disclosure while hosting “Conversations with the Prime Minister” yesterday (Thursday, March 18, 2021) at the Mt Hope/Mt Lambert Community Center.

He said the second time he heard about these vaccines was when local businessmen were seeking to make arrangements to bring vaccines into the country.

He told the audience that the country's Foreign Minister then approached the Indian High Commission here to ask what these reports of vaccines available from India were about.

The Prime Minister said when that question was asked, we were told, “I don’t know.”

Prime Minister Keith Rowley stated that the government communicated directly with India to find out if the vaccine was available and to indicate that if it was, Trinidad and Tobago was willing to participate.

“I can tell you there has been no confirmation of any such thing from India,” the Prime Minister said.

“We also communicated with the supplier from India who is supplying the world. They said they are not taking any orders.”

“What is happening is that the vaccine suppliers have taken pre-orders from the wealthy countries that are buying up all that they can produce.”

There has been a fuss going on in Trinidad and Tobago where the opposition continues to lash on the Keith Rowley government for alleged failure for contacting the Indian government for vaccine assistance.

Leader of opposition Kamla Persad wrote a letter to the government of India to sought the Oxford Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine for Trinidad and Tobago. She further recorded that Prime Minister Keith Rowley could not spare his time to facilitate Trinidad and Tobago with coronavirus vaccine.

India has assisted OECS countries with more than 200,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine under its "Maitri Initiative". The government of India is aiding small countries in the Americas with a free Oxford Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine.