- Everyone has been talking about the fallout
from Nicki Minaj's testicle tweets,
which has affected everyone from the White House
all the way to the government of Trinidad and Tobago.
And since we don't actually live in Trinidad,
we thought it would be helpful to have a conversation
with the actual minister of health for Trinidad and Tobago.
So, Minister Deyalsingh, welcome to "The Daily Show."
- Trevor, how are you doing?
- I'm doing well.
Thank you so much for taking the time today.
I know you've been inundated and I really do appreciate it.
- (laughing) You're welcome.
- I really, really appreciate it.
- Anything for an honorary Treen.
(Trevor laughing)
- I try my best.
I've been told if I don't attend the next mas,
I'm gonna lose my citizenship, so.
- Exactly.
- The marshal has told me I need to play his band
and make sure that I fit into my outfit
for the next mas, so.
- Lovely.
- A few days ago,
Trinidad and Tobago was thrust into the spotlight
in not the most favorable way
because of what could have been innocuous tweet
were it tweeted by anybody else.
But Nicki Minaj tweeted something that has thrust yourself
and your team into the spotlight.
And I figured it would be great for you to come on the show
and just to help us work through some of the misinformation
that that is swirling in and around the country right now.
So before we get into the story itself,
I would love for you to know is anything you want people
around the world to know about how Trinidad is handling
the COVID crisis.
- Thank you very much, Trevor.
So I think Trinidad and Tobago is fortunate
to have as a Prime Minister the Honorable Dr. Keith Rowley,
who is a scientist at heart.
That married with his political skill
led us to take very decisive action on COVID-19
from February, 2020.
That decisive action stretched from closure of borders,
to public health measures,
and to now to acquiring vaccine.
The setting up, Trevor, of what is called
a parallel healthcare system,
which is where we put aside 1,022 beds
only to take care of COVID patients
so that our regular hospitals were unaffected.
And I think that has worked wonderfully well.
Also, when we marry that with our home grown
health expertise, our a public health expert,
the dedication of our doctors and nurses
and everyone in the public health system
has brought us to a place of relative comfort
so that we could save as many lives as humanly possible.
- So, you held a press conference
that has now gone viral worldwide,
where you had to come out and state publicly
that there is no case of testicular swelling
happening in Trinidad, vaccine related at least.
And so from your ministry side,
do you have any concerns in and around the vaccine?
Is there anything that has made you say, oh no,
people need to pause, or is there a rollout of the vaccine
that you are comfortable with right now?
- Thank you for that question.
So as part of our communication strategies from day one,
we had press conferences every day.
Right now we have them three times a week.
So that was part
of our normal communications process yesterday.
To date we have administered over 1 million doses
of vaccines in a country of 1.4 million people.
We're a small but proud country, small but proud.
And we are confident that we have brought
WHO approved vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago.
And with those million doses we have administered to date,
there have only been five cases of adverse events,
all reported to WHO.
None of them includes testicular swelling.
And let me just reiterate,
when one reads stats against the ravages of COVID-19
around the world,
where close to 4.6 million people have in fact died,
the advantages of vaccination far, far outweigh
the minuscule risk.
So the message is, get vaccinated.
Vaccines are safe, they are effective,
and they will save your lives.
- Now, because Trinidad doesn't have the same standing
as the United States,
obviously the information that people get
from around the world can be a little misleading,
myself included.
My friends from Trinidad had to inform me
that Trinidad doesn't just have one vaccine.
It's not just the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm,
Trinidad has multiple vaccines.
And I figured since we have the minister of health here,
you will be able to clarify on that.
Which vaccines does Trinidad have access to?
- So from day one,
Trinidad and Tobago's government's policy,
led by the Honorable Prime Minister again,
has always been to only bring in WHO approved vaccines
to Trinidad and Tobago.
That way, the population can be comforted and reassured
with the stamp of approval that these vaccines
have been properly trialed, properly tested,
they are effective, and they are safe.
To date, are now spoiled for choice.
We have the Sinopharm vaccine from China, excellent vaccine,
AstraZeneca, another excellent vaccine,
Johnson and Johnson, excellent vaccine,
and the Pfizer vaccine,
which is the only WHO approved vaccine
for children between the ages of 12 and 18.
The vaccines are conveniently located.
For a country of 1.4 million people,
we have over 300 access points.
The vaccines are free.
They are accessible.
We just walk into any one of those 300 access points,
and we can be vaccinated in Trinidad and Tobago
with any one of the four world-class WHO approved vaccines.
- And them what of Nicki Minaj's further claims
that nobody in Trinidad can work if they are not vaccinated?
Is that true?
- Well, I welcome the opportunity
to put the record straight.
In simple language, that is simply not true.
Our vaccination program is voluntary,
but highly recommended.
And Trinidad and Tobago, as part of the par-hole region,
as a proud history of vaccinating children
from the ages of two months.
As a matter of fact, our MMR vaccination rates are 95%.
And you know, vaccines are not new to the region,
to the Caribbean, to Trinidad,
and to be going to the par-hole region.
This is not new.
What is new is social media
trying to throw doubt on this vaccine.
But globally, my friend, 5.83 billion,
listen to that, 5.83 billion doses of vaccines
have been administered globally.
And it will save lives.
And Trevor, if you want to come back here to play mas,
get vaccinated and come back here.
(Trevor laughing)
- I mean, that's a great way to get people to come back.
- And I will personally take you to eat doubles.
I will personally take you for co-co-ny.
I will personally take you to Tobago.
- So let me ask you this, Minister.
You're dealing with a crisis,
like many other health ministers
in many countries around the world.
No country has been spared from this pandemic.
Is it a little tedious for you to have to come out
and deal with something like this from Nicki Minaj?
I mean, I remember it was maybe, what, a decade ago,
when Nicki Minaj claimed that Trinidad had 250,000 cases
of HIV/AIDS.
I think it was a number that was well inflated
over 10 times what the number actually was.
Does this almost distract
from what you're actually trying to do?
- Not really.
We are really in a job of communications.
We have to communicate.
We have to communicate facts.
And we have moved from the old days,
from the old soap box,
where you stand up on a soap box, give a message,
now to the electronic soap box.
The electronic soap box demands now
that we communicate differently, instantaneously.
We are focused on service.
We are focused on family.
Trinidad is a prayerful country.
And whenever we have to defend the integrity
of Trinidad and Tobago, it is up to people like myself
to defend that integrity by giving facts.
- So if you had a message for Nicki Minaj,
who has now said that her family, you can't get Instagram,
or you can't do social media in Trinidad.
Some people interpreted that to mean that the government
is blocking you if you say what want to say in Trinidad.
If you were to send a message to Nicki Minaj,
what would that message be?
- So again, putting the record straight.
Trinidad and Tobago has an internet penetration rate of 84%.
Our mobile penetration rate is 158%.
We have free speech as a guaranteed in the constitution.
My message to the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora,
anywhere that you are, is that vaccines are safe.
Vaccines are effective.
And if I may broaden the conversation
to the Caribbean diaspora,
the Caribbean is one of the best places in the world
to live.
It is one of the best places to bring up your families.
My message to the Caribbean diaspora
is spread the word that get vaccinated to save your life
so we can get back to a Caribbean way of life
whether it's so-ka, whether it's reggae.
Whether it's pleased in pan.
All of these lovely things, cricket, football, right?
Chutney, all these things.
The way out of this pandemic right now
is simply get vaccinated.
- Well, I'll tell you now, minister,
you had me at doubles and playing mas.
I'm gonna try to lose a little bit of my COVID weight
and then I'll be back.
Maybe we'll be playing in the same band.
You never know.
We'll make it a special occasion.
- I will play with you, my friend.
And my children, Nick and Nadia are great fans
and they will play with you.
- Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for taking the time, minister.
I appreciate you.
- You're welcome my friend.
(upbeat outro music)