Dominica led by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is singing praises for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India for the swift response to the former's request for 35,000 COVID-19 vaccines to immunize about half of the Caribbean island's total population of 72,000.

The vaccines were flown to Dominica’s Douglas–Charles Airport in neighbouring Barbados’ Air National Guard’s plane on Tuesday.

In a brief formal ceremony at the airport where the vaccines arrived, PM Roosevelt was quoted saying, "I must confess that I did not imagine that the prayers of my country would be answered so swiftly…. One would have thought and understood that in a global pandemic such as this, a nation's size and might would have been the primary considerations. But it is to the credit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that our request was considered on merit and the equality of our people was recognized."

He went on to say, " Tonight signifies the start of the fightback by the Caribbean islands against the virus that has threatened the livelihood of every CARICOM (Caribbean Community) national." The acronym CARICOM means a group of twenty countries including 15 member states and 5 associate members.

In a 9th February letter accessed by Hindustan Times, PM Skerrit writes to PM Modi wherein he says, “In 2020, like many nations across the globe, we were dealt an extraordinary blow by the COVID-19 crisis. However, your vaccines will allow us to move forward with renewed hope and optimism, and to reignite the many projects that COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted. Thanks to the kindness of the Indian nation, 35,000 Dominicans will be vaccinated by April 2021… India has once again come to Dominica's aid, and this too will not be forgotten."

In addition, apart from helping Dominica in their COVID-19 vaccine needs, India has cleared the commercial supply of nearly 24 million vaccine consignments to 25 countries including Uganda, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Morocco, and Namibia in February alone.

Image courtesy: Twitter