Newly-appointed members of the National Commission on Disability (NCD) in a meeting with Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Friday installed the newly appointed members of the National Commission on Disability (NCD) at his Brickdam Office.
The NCD functions as a multi-sectorial approach to helping people living with disabilities promote their rights and live full and productive lives.
The commission also seeks to develop and implement policies that will aid in the improvement and equalisation of opportunities for persons living with disabilities.
Among the newly appointed members are: Health Ministry representative, Dr Arianne Mangar; Education Ministry representative, Nicole Johnson; Labour Ministry representative, Prandatt Basdeo; Human Services & Social Security Ministry representative, Mahendra Budhram; Foreign Affairs Ministry representative, Sharmayne Balram; NGO representative person with disabilities, Ganesh Singh; NGO representative person with disabilities, Anjalena Beshpatty; NGO representative, Omesh Jhagroo – Disabled People’s Network of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Human Rights NGO representative, Vidushi Persaud; representative from the organisation representing organised labour, Porandatt Narine; Berbice Chamber of Commerce representative, Samantha Reid; and caregiver of persons with disabilities, Dr Ruemetta Overton.
The new members are expected to serve from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026.
Officially launched in 1997, the NCD, by an act of Parliament in June 2010, moved to be governed by the Guyana Act No 11 of 2010 Persons with Disability Act 2010. It comprises 12 members appointed by Cabinet and selected by agencies and organisations.
Over the years, the Commission has engaged in a number of activities to carry out its mandate.
Most notably, last year, the Human Services Ministry through the NCD distributed a one-off $100,000 cash grant to children living with disabilities across the country.
This complemented the lifetime public assistance announced in 2022 as well that serves to aid all persons living with permanent disabilities as well as those with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and cancer patients.
Eligible persons were advised to register through the NCD after which a medical report establishing the disability was required only once as approved persons would be no longer subjected to medical or any other tests going forward.
