The Indian High Commissioner says by the time this country made a request for a COVID-19 vaccine donation it may have been too late.

But High Commissioner Arun Kumar Sahu issued a statement yesterday explaining that he would go the extra mile to help.

There has been a controversy between this country and India over vaccine donations.

The Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Dr. Amery Browne is to meet with the High Commissioner today.

But in his statement the High Commissioner said the world knew about India’s Vaccine Friendship Program.

He said no country was selectively informed of the vaccine and leaders wrote to the Indian government requesting vaccines.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says since January this country and by extension CARICOM have been at the forefront calling for equitable access to vaccines to address the pandemic.

Dr. Rowley says as CARICOM chair he also appeared alongside the Director of the World Health Organisation making an appeal for vaccine equity.

He says he also wrote to the governments of the UK, US, Canada, and the EU while contact was already made with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the vaccine supply issue.

Dr. Rowley says a second letter from CARICOM has been sent to US President Joe Biden and a virtual meeting has been set up for this week with Senior Congress Woman Maxine Waters.