President Weekes took a PCR Test at King’s County, New York
Aug 25, 2021
At a press conference held at President’s House at 2:30pm on Wednesday August 25, 2021, Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes O.R.T.T., President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago put paid to the idea that she received a Covid-19 vaccine while on vacation in New York. Her Excellency in fact got a PCR test which is required for entry into Trinidad and Tobago by every traveler including the President.
The misunderstanding came about when King’s County Hospital in New York issued a tweet stating that the President of Trinidad and Tobago had visited their establishment to get a Covid-19 vaccine. This tweet was completely inaccurate and King’s County has since apologised for their error and tweeted a correction.
Ms. Cheryl Hall, Executive Director, Caribbean Women’s Health Association who organised Her Excellency’s PCR test and who also accompanied President Weekes to King’s County, attended this afternoon’s press conference via Zoom and reiterated Her Excellency’s statement that the President in fact took a PCR test and not a Covid-19 vaccine.
Her Excellency thanks the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago for their vigilance and concern and assures them that she has already received both her first and second doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine right here in Trinidad and Tobago – the first at the Diego Martin Regional Health Facility and the second at The Paddock, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.
On Thursday 22 October 2026, Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago presented Instruments of Appointment to Ms Denise Duncan as a Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the Equal Opportunity Commission, Dr. Albert Persaud as a Member of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and Ms Prabhawatie Maraj as a Member of the Statutory Authorities' Appeal Board.Ms Denise Duncan had a distinguished career in the Public Service, culminating in her appointment as Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Administration and Communications. She previously held similar positions in the Ministries of Legal Affairs and Housing and Urban Development.A graduate of Middlesex University Business School in Human Resource Management, Ms Duncan also served as Senior Human Resource Manager in the Office of the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs from 2001 to 2005 and later as Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Tourism until 2013. Throughout her career, Ms Duncan specialized in staff management and operations planning, with emphasis on recruitment, the resolution of issues for both monthly and daily paid workers and contract management. Dr. Albert Persaud is a specialist physician and respirologist with an exemplary career in medicine. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom and Chairman of the Steering Committee for the establishment of the Caribbean Allergy and Respiratory Association (CARA). He completed a Fellowship in Respiratory Diseases and Tuberculosis at McMaster University in Canada and is an Honorary Member of both the General Practitioners Association of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean College of Family Physicians.Dr Persaud also holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London and a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School. He was admitted to practise as an Attorney-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999, although he does not maintain an active legal practice.Ms Prabhawatie Maraj is the retired Director of Personnel Administration in the Service Commissions Department, following a distinguished career in the Public Service spanning more than four decades.Since joining the Public Service in 1978, she has served in several ministries and senior administrative positions including Executive Officer at the Statutory Authorities’ Service Commission from 2008 to 2011 and Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Administration from 2011 to 2015. In 2015, she became Deputy Director of Personnel Administration and Director in 2017, serving until her retirement.Ms Maraj holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Diploma in Public Administration, an Associate Degree in Computer Science and an International Master of Business Administration. She has also presented papers at conferences and workshops on performance management, contract labour and human resource management. ...
#ICYMI Among the engagements hosted by Their Excellencies Christine Carla Kangaloo, ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Kerwyn Garcia, SC, First Gentleman, during their recent visit to Tobago was a special edition of Storytime, held on Monday, October 19, 2026, at the Shaw Park Complex.The initiative, usually held at The President’s House in Port of Spain, travelled to the sister isle for the first time, giving students from Bethesda Government Primary, Montgomery Government Primary, Bon Accord Government Primary and Des Vignes Road Government Primary an opportunity to share in the joy of storytelling, imagination and a love of books.Approximately 80 students from the four Tobago primary schools joined Their Excellencies for an interactive reading of That Amazing Capybara by Alisa Gomez. 📚✨📸 Take a look at some of the moments captured during the session: flic.kr/s/aHBqjD8ois...
Emrold Anthony Phillip, better known as Brother Valentino, was a veteran calypsonian known for his social commentary and forthright compositions addressing the concerns of ordinary people.Born in Grenada on 7 July 1941, he came to Trinidad at the age of five and began performing in calypso tents in the early 1960s. Over the decades that followed, he built a reputation as a calypsonian unafraid to use his music to question, challenge and comment on the world around him, earning the title, "The People’s Calypsonian."His music gained particular resonance during the social and political changes of the 1970s. Songs such as Stay Up Zimbabwe, Ah Wo (Brand New Revolution), Life Is a Stage, Barking Dogs and Dis Place Nice became defining works in his repertoire. In 2012, Brother Valentino was conferred with the Hummingbird Medal (Gold) for his contributions to Trinidad and Tobago in the sphere of culture. Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo, ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, extends sincere condolences to his family, friends and fellow calypsonians, and joins the nation in honouring his contribution to the cultural heritage of Trinidad and Tobago. ...
#HappeningNow Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo, ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Patron of Habitat for Humanity, joins with participants at the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build 2026 in Chaguanas. Habitat for Humanity TT ...
#AsItHappens Their Excellencies Christine Carla Kangaloo, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Kerwyn Garcia, First Gentleman, conclude the day’s visit to Tobago with a stop at the Icon Museum and Tobago Museum at Fort King George Heritage Park. ...
