The Trinidad and Tobago Government has issued a statement clarifying remarks made by Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh who suggested that the recent shipment of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses sent to Barbados from India was for the entire region.

The Health Minister in a video widely circulated indicated that Barbados had sent to Trinidad and Tobago 2,000 doses out of the shipment he claimed had been sent by India for the region.

A subsequent statement from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Health said that the minister wished to correct the statement he made during a media conference concerning the vaccines.

“The Minister confirms that the 2,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were, in fact, a gift given to Trinidad and Tobago from Barbados. This was generously provided from the stock of vaccines that the Government of India provided to Barbados for their use.”

The statement added that the Minister of Health was “unfortunately misinformed and apologises for this error. The Minister also offers his deepest gratitude to the people of Barbados for this kind gesture of regional collaboration.”

Meantime, Starcom Network News had been investigating the matter and sources here indicated that the first shipment sent was indeed intended for Barbados, and that there is another shipment that is due.