Greater recognition is being given to persons with physical disabilities
The National Assembly last Friday commissioned a ramp, allowing persons with disabilities to access its first floor.
Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman said the facility is the first in of a series of measures Parliament will be taking to lead the way in implementing the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2010.
“Since I’ve become Speaker, I’ve been working with the clerk and others to ensure as a first act we would have a ramp. I know that the ramp may be a bit steep but I believe with some assistance and some effort, we will get by,” Trotman said.
The ramp provides uninhibited access to the ground floor of the Public Building, which houses the library and the various committees.
“So the next step is for us to put an elevator in but I believe as they say, the longest journey starts with the first step,” he added.
The Persons with Disabilities Act was accented to by then president Bharrat Jagdeo in November 2010. It stipulates that Public Buildings must take the necessary measures to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Jenifer Webster commending the Speaker for making the facility a reality, said it is important to recognise the contributions of disabled people to the development of the country.
“I think we’re leading here in the National Assembly by setting the tone, and because we feel that whilst about six per cent of our populace are persons with disabilities, those persons can make a meaningful contribution to our society,” Webster said.
Meanwhile, Disability Commission Chairman Evelyn Hamilton also lauded the gesture.
“This ramp that we are cutting the ribbon for today, to me has more meaning than simply giving access to persons living with disabilities access to this building, to me, it is symbolic. This building symbolises for us the place where our representatives meet, they make laws that are intended to improve our society.”
Alliance For Change (AFC) Parliamentarian Kathy Hughes described the occasion as a happy one.
“Although it might seem like a very small thing to so many people, it is really a great and a big deal for wheel chair users because as the Speaker mentioned, it’s the first time they are going to be able to come into this wonderful house,” Hughes related . The AFC parliamentarian said she looks forward to the day when a wheelchair bound person becomes a Member of Parliament.
Other measures being considered by Parliament includes the setting up of a room where persons can view the proceedings of the National Assembly on Parliament days, and installing an elevator, making access more easy to the other floors of Parliament.
The Disabilities Act of 2010 was modelled after the United Nation’s Convention of Persons with Disabilities.
The act makes provisions for persons with disabilities to have access to education, healthcare, recreational, housing and other services.
