By Sue-Ann Wayow
PUNDIT Vijay Persad Seetahal who was instrumental in requesting the 82,030 AstraZeneca vaccines from the Government of Canada for Trinidad and Tobago says he is pleased that the vaccines arrived in the country.
He intends to ask for more Covid-19 vaccines for T&T.
The vaccines arrived on Thursday evening at the Piarco International Airport and was received by Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne and Canadian High Commissioner Sharad Kumar Gupta.
Persad Seetahal told AZPNews.com that with the money saved from acquiring vaccines, the Government can focus on using that to feed the population as poverty was rising and there was a struggle by households to purchase basic food items.
However, the arrival of the vaccines has raised concerns and questions with many voicing their opinion on social media stating why the Government did not make the request instead.
Head of Citizens Union of Trinidad and Tobago Phillip Alexander posted on Facebook, “This donation was made possible by the SKDS Hindu Organisation and the Trinidad and Tobago Diaspora in Canada.
“Not the government. Not it’s highly paid emissaries abroad. Another example of people helping people, doing what government can’t or won’t do and making this government a little more irrelevant every day.”
Persad Seetahal, who heads the Shri Krishna Dharma Sabha (SKDS) Temple in Brampton, Ontario said, “I am very happy that not only Canada has sent the vaccine but that the Trinidad and Tobago population would benefit from it.”
He added, “It does not matter who wants to get the credit for it but the SKDS knows what they have done and we have letters to prove it. God is the witness.”
The chronological order
On June 25, Seetahal wrote to both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Public Services and Procurement Anita Anand requesting that T&T be on the list of countries to receive vaccines following Trudeau’s announcement that Canada will share excess vaccines to the countries in need.
AZPNews.com first reported on this story.
Trudeau himself is a recipient of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
On July 14, Seetahal received correspondence from the Public Services and Procurement Canada that his request was forwarded to Minister of International Development Global Affairs Canada Karina Gould.
The letter stated, “We have carefully reviewed the matter you have raised and have determined that it falls under the mandate of Global Affairs Canada. Therefore, we have taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your letter to the office of the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development for consideration.”
On Wednesday, Gould announced that Canada had allocated more than 82,000 AstraZeneca vaccines that would be sent to Trinidad and Tobago as soon as the Government was ready to accept and dispatch.
And on Thursday the vaccines arrived at the airport.
On Friday, Seetahal received email correspondence from Gould’s office which he also shared with AZPNews.com.
The email stated, “Thank you for reaching out to the Office of the Honourable Karina Gould. As requested, I have included the link to Global Affairs Canada News Release regarding the Government of Canada’s commitment to share vaccines with Trinidad and Tobago. Thank you for your engagement on this important matter.”
Seetahal said next week, he will be going to the Minister’s office to personally thank her for the much needed assistance.
He said, “I am honoured to represent the people of Trinidad and Tobago to say thank you. I am also going to ask for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines especially for our elderly in Trinidad and children because we know that school is going to start back in September.”
He added, “If the Prime Minister wants to go ahead and make that request before me, good luck to him.”
Deyalsingh has said that once the Government received the Pfizer vaccine, it would be available exclusively to children 12 year and over.
One man’s work
Seetahal admitted that in the beginning of the process, it was not easy getting support from people in Trinidad and Tobago.
He said he attempted to get letters from other religious organisations, and persons including politicians but were unsuccessful.
Referring to a popular children’s story “Little Red Hen” he told AZPNews.com, “I really feel like little red hen, but I am able to give the bread today to everybody.”
And in a jab at all those who may have an issue with his request, Seetahal said he remembered his childhood poem well, “Love Your Native Land.”
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