There will be no retraction or apology from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar over her “fake vaccine” comment.
In fact, the former prime minister intends to take Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh to task at the United National Congress (UNC) meeting on Monday.
On Thursday, Deyalsingh issued a release condemning Persad-Bissessar for saying at a UNC meeting on Monday that “fake vaccines” were distributed to hundreds of thousands of people during the Covid-19 pandemic and he called on her to retract her statements.
On the heels of this, Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Dr Rai Ragbir issued a release yesterday objecting to her comments and urged Persad-Bissessar to “reconsider the narrative being pushed”.
Persad-Bissessar told the Express she will address this issue on Monday.
However, she noted a quote from American author Jim Kwick who said “Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from”.
Ragbir, a medical doctor, stated that while it is Persad-Bissessar’s right to criticise government policies, those criticisms must be grounded in facts, reason, and logic.
The development of effective health policy requires honesty and adherence to scientific truth, not political manoeuvring, he added.
Ragbir said the Covid-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge globally.
“During this crisis, healthcare professionals and scientists worked tirelessly to develop vaccines that have proven to be effective in reducing transmission and saving lives,” he said.
He said the Covid-19 vaccines distributed to the people of Trinidad and Tobago were rigorously tested and certified as safe by international health organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
“To question the safety of these vaccines without evidence is to undermine the collective effort of our frontline healthcare workers and experts who followed scientific protocols to protect our citizens. The data is clear—vaccination significantly reduced the number of severe Covid-19 cases and saved lives, especially among the most vulnerable,” he said.
Ragbir said focus must be on protecting public health, preparing for future challenges, and ensuring that citizens can trust the integrity of the information provided to them by those in positions of leadership.
He said, “The ongoing battle against disease, whether Covid-19 or any future pandemic, demands a unified response based on evidence, not unsubstantiated claims. Let us prioritise reason, scientific truth, and transparency in all matters related to healthcare.”
Ragbir’s colleague, former government minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh, who is also a doctor, has defended Persad-Bissessar’s comments while pointing out that there were successful lawsuits against both Pfizer and Moderna with respect to the efficacy of the vaccine.
Asked about Gopeesingh’s position, Ragbir opted to not comment.
