British High Commissioner to Jamaica Asif Ahmad is lauding Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart for his offer to assist in the delivery of vaccines to nations throughout the region.

In a Twitter post, Ahmad said he wanted to place on record his thanks for Stewart’s offer to fly the British government’s vaccine donations to other Caribbean countries from Jamaica, which itself last week received 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the United Kingdom (UK).

Ahmad noted, however, that, despite the offer, the UK team had to use bigger planes with chillers to get the vaccines to the other countries.

DONATIONS PART OF 100 MILLION DOSES PLEDGE

Among those Caribbean nations to receive donations from the UK are Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Guyana and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The donations form part of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s pledge to provide 100 million vaccine doses to countries around the world over the next year.

In the first tranche, a total of nine million doses are being provided – five million through the COVAX facility and four million directly to countries in need, including Kenya (817,000) and Indonesia (600,000), as well as Jamaica.

In responding to Ahmad’s post, Stewart said: “The real appreciation belongs to you @AsifAAhmad & the UK Government for making it happen for Jamaica & our neighboring #Caribbean#Islands. We are truly grateful.”

The vaccines were sent to the other islands last week with Guyana receiving 84,800 doses, Belize, 42,000, St Vincent and the Grenadines, 14,000, and Antigua and Barbuda receiving 12,000 doses.

The 300,000 doses received by the Jamaican Government allowed the country to ramp up it vaccination efforts over the weekend, with all persons 18 years and older invited make appointments and come in to vaccination sites across the island.