By Sue-Ann Wayow
DO not question my credentials.
That was the message from former government minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.
Dr Gopeesingh held a press conference on Tuesday to respond to Deyalsingh’s statements on Monday that the current national health medical team were competent, hardworking and creating lifesaving policies in the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also singled out Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram, Principal Medical Officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards, head of the epidemiology unit Dr Avery Hinds and thoracic care medical specialist Dr Michelle Trotman claiming they are ill-advising the minister.
Dr Gopeesingh asked Deyalsingh, “Are you challenging my qualifications?”
He spent most of his time knocking the minister for his continued mismanagement of the Covid-19 virus. He said instead Deyalsingh was the one spreading lies about him and his advice.
“Don’t try to put me down by saying these things about me,” he said.
He then proceeded to list a “summarised version” of his resume adding that it was more than 50 pages long and included working at more than 18 hospitals and training at four universities around the world.
He challenged Deyalsingh to reveal the figures relating to ICU deaths at the various hospitals, the number of senior doctors and nurses.
“If you cannot provide that information – get out,” he declared.
“People are dying like flies because you sit there and do absolutely nothing,” he told Deyalsingh.
Referring to the medical team, Dr Gopeesingh said, “The State pays for them. Every public servant is accountable. If they are failing in their duty and their responsibility, they must be called out. We are calling them out. They have been failing.”
He also asked who advised Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that it was safe to have some sort of Carnival activity next year in the face of rapidly increasing deaths and cases adding that chief executive officer of the North Central Regional Health Authority Davlin Thomas was affiliated with the National Carnival Commission.
He again called for a commission of enquiry into the Covid-19 management.
And Dr Gopeesingh also knocked the World Health Organization (WHO) of which Trinidad and Tobago relies heavily on in terms of policy decisions.
He said, “WHO sits there and make statements for everyone else to follow.”
Dr Gopeesingh said as a gynaecologist, he was eminently qualified to deal with Deyalsingh whom he described as a failed druggist.
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