Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh during the presentation of the 2023 National Budget
Programme Manager of the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), Ganesh Singh, has said that while he is grateful for the measures in budget 2023 that are aimed at supporting persons living with disabilities (PWD), more is needed in this regard.
“There (are) some specific provisions for persons with disabilities through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. We’re not excited, but we’re appreciative as it relates to the public assistance, the two-thousand-dollar increase. We were hoping that it would have been more, but nevertheless, it is what it is,” Singh remarked.
Programme Manager of the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), Ganesh Singh
He has posited that more can be done for persons living with disabilities through the creation of more job opportunities and other measures. He added that the implementation of learning labs would allow persons with disabilities to do training at various learning institutions, so they can acquire the necessary skills.
“Creation of more employment opportunities, so that people with disabilities can be able to work – those in poverty; and in the future, a significant increase in the public assistance for those people who are unable to work,” he concluded.
During his budget speech on Monday, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh announced that, in 2022, all citizens 18 years old and above, who are living with permanent disabilities, began benefitting from Public Assistance support of $14,000 per month. This year, that amount has been increased by $2,000, which would take the total to $16,000 with effect from January 1, 2023. This is expected to benefit over 29,000 persons, and would provide more than $700 million in additional disposable income to those individuals.
Further, over 205 persons have received assistive aids, inclusive of wheelchairs, folding canes and walkers, while over 170 persons living with disabilities have been trained in the areas of garment construction, social media marketing, audio/video editing, and computer skills, to improve their livelihoods.
Singh also disclosed that Government has been proactively improving access to services for persons with disabilities. With the construction of the Mahaica Disability Complex, persons have been able to complete training for employment opportunities, and in some way, empowerment.
The Government also began construction of a new care centre for children living with disabilities at the Mahaica Hospital, and a state-of-the-art business centre in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) to promote entrepreneurial opportunities.
Additionally, two wheelchair buses have been acquired to provide transportation for residents of the Mahaica Hospital and Training Complex, and during this year, the Government aims to ensure that transportation is available at all institutions representing persons living with disabilities in Guyana.
In 2022 also, thousands of children living with disabilities were each given a one-off cash grant of $100,000.
