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by pltm
(PLTM) - A Disability Policy is being designed to address the needs and rights of persons living with disabilities. This was revealed by Supervisor of the Disability Services Unit, Ms. Lorna Dawson.
During an exclusive interview with BVI Platinum News, Ms. Dawson divulged, “We are actually working on a disability policy to have that policy in place, and regulations, so people know what the expectations are.”
Work in this regard is progressing, as consultations have already been done.
“We’ve already done interviews. It’s just a matter of pulling information together now to start putting the draft together,” she stated.
According to Ms. Dawson, the social climate as it relates to persons with disabilities is improving, as there is greater awareness.
“There was a time when most people kept their children at home,” she shared, adding that the “community is becoming more aware, more accepting.”
However, even as there has been progress—the challenges are still there. Among the difficulties is getting employment for persons with disabilities.
Programme Coordinator of BVI Services—a programme for persons with disabilities—Georgene Henry-Bedford lamented the hardships they face in this regard.
“That’s one of the major challenges we face—finding employment for them because the establishments do not have the human resource to work with them, because they have to be supervised throughout the day,” she explained.
While there are some of them who are passionate about entering the world of work, Bedford shared, “They’re vulnerable, especially the ladies, and we have to make sure that we protect them. And establishments aren’t really willing to accommodate us in that area.”
