Nat’l Disability Policy announced

“The policy aims at levelling the playing field which would allow persons living with disabilities to fulfil their roles and meet their obligations as citizens in society,” Roberts said. The Minister revealed that Cabinet’s action plan strives to empower disabled persons via future legislation which would ensure their rights are viewed equally as the right of any other human being.

Roberts disclosed that Government acknowledges its responsibility for creating a social and physical environment free of the negative aspects which hinder total interaction between citizens and individuals with health conditions.

The findings from a national census indicates out of a population of 1,262,366, there are 45,496 persons living with disabilities. Roberts said government with the aid of the private sector and NGOs remains committed to the holistic development of disabled persons as the country travels towards Developed Country status by the year 2020.

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of Disabled Peoples International, George Daniel in an impassioned address, said: “today thereafter should be known as ‘D Day’, signifying the uphill battle in finally attaining a national draft policy for disabled persons.”

Daniel admitted the occasion was a victorious one since two documents already existed with a third in the works — government’s enactment of The Disability Act. A call was also made for the ratification between Government and the United Nations Convention in hopes of having the Disability Act heavily influenced by the UN draft policy on disabled persons.

Once this is accomplished, minister Anthony Roberts said, he firmly believes injustices such as the exclusion of lifts, parking spaces and employment opportunities both in the public and private sector would now be eliminated.

Roberts said Governments had overseen a wheelchair bus service through the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) which was expanded to a fleet of twelve buses dedicated to transporting disabled persons to and from their required destinations.

He said a certified body of sign language interpreters was formed to develop a National Sign Language Programme alongside several contributions already made by NGOs providing support to local associations such as DRETCHI and medical institutions throughout the country. The Minister also indicated that all of these efforts were part of Government’s plans to meet the needs of differently-abled persons in Trinidad and Tobago.