NCD calls for Disability Act to be implemented

The National Commission on Disability (NCD) is calling for implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act which was crafted since 2011, as persons with disabilities have not been benefiting from the piece of legislation.
Executive Member of the Guyana Society for the Blind, Ganesh Singh, during the NCD Media Summit on Saturday appealed for actions to be taken so that the lives of persons with disabilities can be improved.
“All of us in the disability community thought at that time that we have a nice piece of legislation to protect and promote our rights but we’re still almost at that stage where very little is done for us as persons with disabilities although there is a legal framework,” Singh said.
The Act, which was launched since 2011, gave the relevant entities up to one decade to have implementations fully in place. However, this along with most of the other sections, was never applied by the relevant Ministries.
“The Minister with responsibility for any legislation that is tabled must sign the Act into operation… If the various Ministers chose not to develop and implement the regulations that are required; we’re still left where we were.”
The framework suggested several important points, including the fact that national broadcasters must be equipped with a sign language inset for selected programmes.
“All national broadcasters must have a sign language inset at least for one of their newscasts per day, any special programming as it relates to national events.”
Provisions that were made in documents speak to the rights of persons with disabilities to acquire an education, independent living, employment, non-discrimination, access to information and political representation.
Under the theme “Nothing without us, about us”, the participants were also sensitised on how to address persons with disabilities, in keeping with protecting their rights.
Legal Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister, Tamara Khan, was among the list of speakers and stated that environmental and personal changes are required to ensure that PWDs are treated equally.
“It also requires a change in basic attitudes, negative attitudes that may foster stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice towards those persons with disabilities. These attitudes we know are based on a simple lack of knowledge,” said Khan.
She added, “The Government of Guyana must ensure the reality of the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act and convention and rights of persons with disabilities.”