Absolutely no Government funds were used in the purchase of 1 million non-existent COVID vaccines currently at the centre of an elaborate scam that cost a Barbadian company US$10.6 million, Acting Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw has declared.
But she also confirmed that the Ministry of Health and Wellness in fact vouched for Radical Investment Limited (RIL), which is partly owned by businessman Mark Maloney, to procure vaccines on its behalf from British Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
On Wednesday, the Acting PM explained that the agreement with Radical was established at a time when the world was in a “desperate vaccine race” and Government was hearing offers from private entities capable of sourcing the precious commodity.
“I want to make it abundantly clear that no taxpayer resources have actually been expended or directly given to the company for the particular sourcing of these vaccines,” declared Bradshaw during an address to the nation.
“Radical Investments did not receive a single cent from us and are therefore not expecting a refund from the Barbados Government. The clear understanding at all times was that once the items were sourced and arrived in Barbados, that the appropriate payments would be made to the company,” she added.
Bradshaw was referring to the circumstances under which Radical Investments was allegedly defrauded of over US $10 million in a vaccine deal on behalf of Barbados and other Caribbean countries that never came to fruition. It has since resulted in the Barbados-based company that is registered in St Lucia, filing a lawsuit against more than half a dozen alleged fraudsters in the U.S District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida.
As numerous questions swirl about the administration’s involvement in the deal, Bradshaw contended that the arrangement with Radical was in no way exclusive or unusual at the time that it occured.
She added that the Government authorised the purchase of one million doses with the intention of having 300,000 for Barbados and the remainder for neighbouring Caribbean countries.
“Yes, the Ministry of Health and Wellness would have had discussions along with the Director of Finance with AstraZeneca directly for this particular arrangement, because that is the only way that AstraZeneca would afford the opportunity to any intermediary to act on behalf of the Government of Barbados,” said Bradshaw.
In fact, Bradshaw noted that the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines which started the national campaign was brokered through a private individual who had contacts within the Indian Government.
“At that time, there was a scarcity of vaccines, not only in Barbados, but across the entire region and therefore, having someone who could actually purchase these vaccines, particularly in these large quantities, with a view that we would enter into relationships across the region to be able to purchase it, for us was certainly an attempt get vaccines into the arms of as many people as possible,” Bradshaw added.
The acting PM even disclosed that on one occasion, the Government entered into an agreement with a “world-class premier medical facility”, paid a deposit but never received vaccines in return.
“And so they found themselves in a position where, despite having the monies from us, because they could not deliver on what we had requested of them, we ended up having the monies refunded to the Government of Barbados,” she said.
She also slammed Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley’s concerns about the legitimacy of the country’s vaccine supply, noting that the arrangement for packaging and shipment would have occurred directly between the Government and AstraZeneca.
“The truth of the matter is that we are not talking about chocolates that you can pick from on the counter, we are talking about vaccines and there is a separate and distinct process for the procurement of vaccines that exists within the global community.”
Explaining why Government’s procurement department was not involved in the purchases, Bradshaw declared it was not a feasible option for navigating the “vaccine war”.
Describing the fallout involving Radical Investments as “a most unfortunate situation”, Bradshaw said it was indicative of the ‘wild wild west’ environment often alluded to by Prime Minister Mia Mottley and said she hoped the “private-sector partner” would recover the funds.
(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)
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