Wheelchair facilities in some buildings have been labelled as disaster-prone elevations.

But, other private and Government agencies have been knocked for their lack of consideration for disabled people in the construction of buildings.

These were among the challenges facing disabled people outlined by president of the Barbados Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, David 'Joey' Harper yesterday. He was addressing the Council for the Disabled's annual general meeting at Sherbourne Conference Centre.

'Simple things that are ignored even in the construction of state-of-the-art buildings, designed for the private sector and Government agencies show that the rights of the disabled are placed very low down in the order of structural requirements.

'How many new buildings have made arrangements for disabled persons doing business in the building to have adequate toilet facilities designed to meet the basic need that everyone is subject to at some time in their daily activities?' he asked.

During his address which left those in attendance riveted to their seats, Harper added that some ramps for wheelchair confined citizens were 'graded' at impossible angles so that even with the help of others, the journey up and down was disaster-prone.

Drivers using parking spaces allocated to the disabled when a need arose also came under fire by Harper, also chairman of the Child Care Board.

To overcome these challenges, he tabled a suggestion for a functional Disabled Persons Protection Unit.

This, he said, must be instituted to ensure and advocate for the rights of the disabled. 'There are marginally challenged young women who have been exploited by ruthless men and women who see the disabled as prey, rather than persons.

Adequate laws must be put in place to deal with this sector of our society who themselves have a disability, 'the difference is that their disability is created and nurtured,' Harper said.

But, as a word of caution to those in the disabled community, Harper warned that they could not do it alone, but needed to come together with a united front.

'A united disabled community is an abled disabled community. Our system of Government, business and society in general thrives on the disunity of those seeking to better themselves, those seeking to make wrong things right, those seeking to lobby for better conditions,' he warned.

The chairman added that unless we can overcome the desire to be suspicious of each other, we will cultivate an environment and plant seeds that will lead to the exploitation of the disabled community.

SOURCE: http://www.nationnews.com/