Days After Rihanna Sparks Row with Tweet on Farmers' Protest, Barbados PM Thanks India for Covid Vaccines
05-February-2021

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Indian government donation of Serum Institute of India manufactured Covishield vaccine to the Caribbean country. This comes just days after Barbadian singer-activist Rihanna sparked outrage in India with her tweet on the ongoing farmers� protests.

In a letter addressed to PM Modi, Mottley said, �I trust that you are well and safe. On behalf of my Government and people, I wish to express gratitude to you, your Government and the people of the Republic of India for its most generous donation of the Covishield vaccines

India has donated 100,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca anti-coronavirus vaccine to Barbados. Last month, Mottley wrote to PM Modi, requesting for access to vaccines to provide immunisation coverage for the island nation.

�The Minister of Health and Wellness and the Chief Medical Officer both have confirmed that the vaccine has been approved for use in Barbados and will be administered in accordance with the manufacturers� guidelines,� PM Mottley said.

On Tuesday, Rihanna tweeted a news article about the internet blockade in Delhi that followed after clashes between the protesting farmers and the police. "Why aren't we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest," she tweeted.

India has already shipped vaccines to neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal already. Myanmar and the Seychelles are the next in line.

India is sharing vaccines manufactured in the country as a goodwill gesture in the time of crisis and it is an initiative that will have a saluting impact on India�s relationship with its neighbours. All the top leaders of our neighbouring countries have thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the vaccines received.

Not only vaccines, but India has imparted training to their health workers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as you know, during the pandemic, tried to activate the SAARC for Covid cooperation, and this will be welcomed by the leaders as well as the public. Essentially it presents a very good image of India as a caring and sharing country.