MESSAGE TO COMMEMORATE BARBADOS INDEPENDENCE DAY 2009

From: Mr. David ‘joey’ Harper
 President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled
 On behalf of its Members
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INDEPENDENCE – For All!

Barbadians here and abroad are celebrating 43 years of independence and achievements which we should rightly be proud of. While we celebrate this important milestone in our history, and reflect on the achievements of our people, we should also ponder on whether we are working towards a Barbados that includes ALL persons or only those who can access all that our country offers. Are we working to achieve full independence for all?

As the Barbados Council for the Disabled joins our brothers and sisters in recognizing this day in our history, we acknowledge the support of our government throughout the years in addressing issues which affect persons with disabilities. However we have to ask the question “ARE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES REALLY INDEPENDENT?” For too long we have had to accept the numerous barriers created every day by society who at times are totally insensitive to the needs of our disabled community; even though they are making every effort to contribute to our society significantly.

Regrettably, in spite of all the public awareness campaigns stressing the need for inclusion, many facilities and public buildings newly renovated or presently under construction, seem to forget that persons with disabilities are consumers too. As the Barbados Council for the Disabled continues to advocate for a barrier free society through our FULLY ACCESSIBLE BARBADOS programme, we recognize that this is only the beginning of our goal towards achieving an inclusive society which will ensure “INDEPENDENCE FOR ALL”

We look forward to the day when persons with disabilities will be able to shout …Independent, Independent at last, thank God we are Independent!
With God’s Blessings we have come a long way.
May God Bless Barbados.