PWD will not be excluded from benefits of national development – President Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has assured that Persons with Disabilities (PWD) will not be excluded from the benefits of national development.

The President gave this commitment to commemorate International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2020, which was observed on Thursday.
International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2020 has been held under the theme “Building back better: towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world by, for and with persons with disabilities”.
President Ali has said this year’s team recognises the disadvantageous effects which the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, particularly to persons with disabilities.
In this regard, the Head of State assured, “My Government is committed to establishing a more inclusive democracy. We are committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities are entitled to, and enjoy, the full benefits of citizenship and public services, including education, health, and access to electricity, housing, water, telecommunication, and justice.”
According to the President, PWDs can be assured that they will not be excluded from the benefits of national development. He said they can look forward to a future in which their inherent dignity would be respected and their rights promoted and defended.

“My Government will work to improve the livelihoods of persons with disabilities. We will ensure that they are not subject to discrimination in employment, and that greater emphasis is placed on providing medical and therapeutic care. They will qualify for Government house lots, and we will also provide greater opportunities for them to participate more meaningfully in national development.
“I assure them that my Government has their best interests at heart. We will do all that is within our means to continuously promote and defend their rights, and to secure for them enhanced economic opportunities,” he said in concluding.
Meanwhile, Programme Coordinator of the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), Ganesh Singh, has said there is need now, more than ever, to promote an understanding of the plethora of issues plaguing the lives of PWDs. Singh pointed out that these issues have long affected the independence and productivity of this marginalised group.
According to Singh, the current COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown have brought greater focus on the challenges this community faces.
“Yes, we do recognise all Guyana and the world have suffered and continue to suffer; however, due to the social location of PWDs, their difficulties were further exacerbated by the pandemic,” he noted.
“This community of vulnerable people has always been forced to live on the fringes of society, resulting from the stigma and discrimination and social barriers they have to face daily.”
Singh continued, “As we rebuild the Guyanese economy post-COVID-19, we call on the Government and other stakeholders to ensure that PWDs are considered and included in all rebuilding and development plans, and the contents of the Guyana PWD Act 2010 are implemented in a timely manner.”
The GCOPD is calling on policymakers to develop a programme for the allocation of a monthly “Disability Grant” to qualified PWDs as a living allowance. It said that this grant should be administered separately from the “Public Assistance” Grant.
Further, the GCOPD is calling on policymakers to ensure that qualified and skilled PWDs are allocated a small percentage of all public sector jobs; and that all public schools are accessible and are governed by a relevant Special Education Needs (SEN) Policy that promotes the integration and full participation of children with disabilities, ensuring they acquire a meaningful education.
It wants policymakers to allocate more resources to the SEN, with emphasis on the use of technology in the classroom and on teacher training; ensure that all public buildings are accessible to PWDs, in compliance with the Guyana PWD Act 2010; and to ensure that PWDs have a voice in the expenditure of the revenues from the oil and gas sector.
The GCOPD is the umbrella body that represents the majority of disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) from across Guyana, working in the areas of advocacy and capacity building. The DPOs represents all types of disabilities.
The annual observance of International Day for Persons with Disabilities was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and to increase awareness of their situation in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.