Govt to address concerns of persons with disabilities

The Nassau Guardian

Govt to address concerns of persons with disabilities

After years of successive governments promising to address the concerns of the disabled community, the Christie administration will make its rights and protection a priority, Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday.

Christie said the Ministry of Finance will reprioritize some areas of governance to ensure that his administration can bring the necessary legislation to Parliament.

The prime minister's promise provides members of the disabled community with its first reason to hope since the former administration tabled the Disabilities Equal Opportunities Bill in Parliament in 2012.

However, that bill died when Parliament was prorogued in the run-up to the general election.

Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin said the government has since produced new draft legislation.

Griffin said the draft was put in more simpler terms than the previous one.

She said the government will carry out widespread consultations to inform various groups about the new legislation.

Christie underscored the importance of consultations.

"Governments have to consult with the private companies because there has to be a major transformation of physical things like sidewalks, the entries to buildings, and elevators,” he said. “There has to be a paradigm shift in building approvals because the commitment will be that we are recognizing and institutionalizing the recognition that there are people who are different to some of us, and therefore all of us are entitled to it.”

Griffin said the government is hoping to wrap up public consultations by December 3, which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

As previously reported, Griffin will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on behalf of the country on Tuesday.

The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights of persons with disabilities, and promote respect for their inherent dignity. Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.

"In signing this convention, The Bahamas joins with several other countries in the region who believe that all people, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, should be afforded the right to grow, learn and reach their maximum potential and that there should be full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society and development,” Christie said. “As a Christian nation, we should want no less for all of our people."

Christie added that merely signing the convention will not be the end, as every citizen must begin to embrace what it means.

“By signing this convention, we will have moved another step closer to creating a just society where all persons enjoy equal rights,” he added.

Christie said he would not want to leave office without improving the quality of life of the disabled in the country.

Griffin said about 15 percent of the population is believed to be suffering from some form of disability.

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