In under eight hours yesterday, about 3,000 security officers were vaccinated at the Divali Nagar Site in Chaguanas.
The collaborative vaccine programme between the Security Owners and Managers Association of T&T (SOMATT) and the Association of Security Companies of T&T (ASCOTT) has seen almost 5,000 security officers vaccinated in total.
The two associations were allocated 5,000 Sinopharm vaccines from a shipment of 100,000 vaccines a few weeks ago. However, this vaccination drive was done differently from the many others seen across the country over the past several months.
SOMATT’s president, Ibn Llama De Leon, son of renowned calypsonian the Roaring Lion (Rafael Arias Cairi Llama de Leon), told Guardian Media those who came out to get vaccinated were treated to live music and extempo to keep them entertained.
“After last week’s experience, here would have been a very quiet space, very organised but very quiet with people just sitting and having nothing to do while they waiting, we thought it would be nice to incorporate some of the culture of T&T because the culture has suffered since the pandemic.
“We thought it would be nice entertainment to have with the pan and the extempore calypsonian present,” De Leon said.
Starlift frontline pannist Kevin Navarro left and, Tyeshia Alexander entertained the crowd at the Security Industry Association vaccination drive at the Divali Nagar, Chaguanas, yesterday.
Nicole Drayton
Keeping the hundreds of people waiting for their vaccines entertained were several pannists from the Silver Stars Steel Orchestra and extempore calypsonian, Neil “Abelele” Baptiste.
De Leon said about 1,900 security officers were vaccinated during the first day of the vaccine drive last week.
He extended heartfelt thanks to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh for including the security officers in the vaccine drive.
“I want to thank the Minister of Health for his consideration, because throughout the pandemic we have been hearing about the yeoman service that the front liners and we identified, rightfully so, the medical practitioners and the whole health care system.
“But in reality, you cannot access a grocery or a hospital without passing through a security officer so I think this in itself is a morale-building initiative for the industry because I don’t think we have gotten the recognition in the past, not suggesting that now, about the role that we do.”
Innovative Security Technology officer Stuart Garvin Maloney gives a thumbs up after receiving his first COVID-19 Sinopharm vaccine at the Security Industry Association vaccination drive held at the Divali Nagar, Chaguanas, yesterday.
Nicole Drayton
De Leon said yesterday’s vaccine drive also accommodated people from the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) as he said there were security officers who could not make it to yesterday’s drive and they will be vaccinated by the TTMA in return.
He said he hopes that when more vaccines become available, the Ministry will partner with the associations again to have more security officers vaccinated.
A uniform security officer hands his COVID-19 form to a volunteer during the Security Industry Association, vaccination drive at the Divali Nagar, Chaguanas, yesterday.
Nicole Drayton