President David Granger on Thursday pledged more of Government’s support towards the work of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, as he noted that every child, despite their individual challenge, physical or otherwise, can become masters in their field of choice, once they are empowered and given the opportunity to do so.
The Head of State, who was at the time delivering the feature address at an
First Lady Sandra Granger cuts the 50th anniversary cake with a student of the Centre, much to his delight
observance to mark the Centre’s 50th anniversary, said every child has the ability to contribute to the nation’s development once the barriers to their successes are removed and the opportunities necessary for their development are offered and supported.
“It is my view that the Centre embodies the spirit and desire to prove that Guyanese, if they are given equal opportunity, could not only make a better nation but we could have better households, better families and better lives for all of our citizens. If we give each Guyanese child the opportunity to access education, if we give every child the opportunity to be employed, if we give every child the opportunity to be empowered and raise his or her voice, this could be a much happier place. If given the opportunity, they can master any field of academia,” the President said.
According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency, the President also noted that the State has responsibility to its citizens and as such, his Government will not shirk its duty but will ensure that the necessary systems are in place to support and sustain opportunities, which will ensure that every Guyanese child has the opportunity to pursue his or her development.
“My visit here is all about opportunities… The State cannot close its eyes to its responsibility. In terms of education, we would continue to support this Centre to enable children with challenges to equip themselves with the quality of education that will take them to the level of employment. We will have centres where they can use their brains, have tools and help them to produce and be prosperous. We will also go a step further to ensure that those children are empowered fully. We have to empower them to raise their voices to demand that there are changes to our infrastructure to our ministries and schools, public institutions so that they can be accommodated. There will be more state funds coming to support this institution,” the President committed.
The Head of State noted that growing up in an era before independence where equality was absent for Guyanese people, it is his wish as the leader of the country, to ensure that the citizens, particularly the children and youth have a better society in which they can thrive and grow.
Further, he praised the Centre for the work which it has been doing for the last 50 years, as he noted that it has provided hundreds of persons with a new reason for living and given them a new lease on life.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Randy Storm, Chairman of the Board of Directors, delivering brief remarks, said that it is important that the children of the Centre and all others across the country be given the necessary opportunities to become the best that they can be. He noted that their challenges do not disqualify them from learning or reaching for greatness.
Hyacinth Massay, Rehabilitation Officer of the Centre, detailing the history of the organization, said that the Centre and its caretakers have indeed come a long way, providing much needed services to the Guyanese public. As it is, she noted, the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre provides rehabilitation services for over 100 children and 30 adults annually while its daycare service provides care for up to 35 children and nine residents. Another component of the facility, the Harold B Davis School has 45 students enrolled.
During the ceremony, Dr William Abu Crow, Country Representative of the World Health Organisation/Pan American Health Organisation delivered books and audiology equipment to assist in the delivery of services at the Centre.
The Centre was originally established in January 1967, by the public Health Ministry to provide rehabilitative services for those children who had suffered residual paralysis following the 1960 and 1964 poliomyelitis epidemics. The institution has since then developed a comprehensive programme for rehabilitation for children with various types of physical and other developmental disabilities. It currently offers services such as physiotherapy, special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, counselling and educational services for parents of children in rehabilitation programmes and provisions for orthotic and prosthetic appliances for the physically disabled in Guyana.
