PRESIDENT OF THE MYASTHENIA GRAVIS ASSOCIATION, MASTER OF CEREMONIES, MEMBERS OF AFFILIATE ORGANISATIONS OF THE BARBADOS COUNCIL FOR THE DISABLED, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS GOOD EVENING.

Sometimes I believe that it is protocol that makes one say it is with the greatest pleasure that I am delivering this address, but in this case it goes beyond just the protocol, I am truly delighted to have the opportunity to be a part of this special occasion.

As President of the Barbados council of the Disabled I have had intimate contact with almost every organization that falls under our banner and have developed an understanding for the many difficulties that members of the disabled community encounter on a daily basis, these difficulties range from inaccessibility and insensitivity, challenges within the health care system, inadequate social services for example meagre welfare grants, with attachments to it that make it impossible for a disabled person to seek even part time work without threatening their welfare cheque.

These challenges bad enough in yesterdays Barbados are now compounded by the claustrophobic economic environment that small states like ours have inherited from the rather greedy and insensitive International powers that in some cases have lost their human face.

The disabled have to face these challenges just as the abled community have to, however one would be aware that it will pose some difficulties to those persons who have their own challenges and function in an environment that
 has come to believe that DISABILITIES mean INABILITIES, I want to make it clear that nothing is further from the truth, what however is the truth is that the so called abled society in decision making positions are opening the doors but with such painful slowness that persons with disabilities are finding it difficult to enter the world of opportunity unless they are in the right place at the right time to flash through the marginally opened window of opportunity; THIS IS NOT HOW IT SHOULD BE.

Over the past year a significant step has been made along the road to ensuring that the rights of persons with difficulties are not compromised THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES have been signed by the twenty countries needed to have it ratified and this will be come into full effect on May the third 2008, this a major achievement for what it now means is that PWD will now have a legal position which they can institute when and if the need arises.

The preamble to the convention states and I quote:
• Recognizing the valued existing and potential contributions made by persons with disabilities to the overall well being and diversity of their communities, and that the promotion of the full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and of full participation by persons with disabilities will result in their enhanced sense of belonging and significant advances in the human, and social and economic development of society and the eradication of poverty.
There is no question that persons with disabilities have added significantly to the development of Barbados, names like Craigg Nurse, Patrick Forde, Peter Serieux, personalities like Dennis Johnson and Carson Small, yet even with these successes we do not know how many brilliant minds have been locked behind closed doors whether real doors or stumbling blocks placed unwittingly in their path; it is therefore important that we ensure that we do not lose much needed talent that can be to the benefit of a small Nation such as ours simply because of deep seated myths, prejudices and social arrogance, in the past it was known that because of embarrassment children with a disability were not allowed to even see the light of day. Yes in some cases this has changed but the convention is making sure that remedies are in place where the rights of the disabled are trampled upon for redress.

Let me make it clear that the disabled community have made significant strides over the years Governments past have created very positive opportunities for the disabled community and based on the plans that this present Government have put forward, we can be sure that there will be no letting up in the progress made and quite frankly I am looking forward to the bringing into force some of these plans which will be to the development of PWD, this government has already shown its commitment to the disabled in a tangible manner.

Master of Ceremonies the disabled community is not a mendicant group looking for handouts, this valued sector of our community has over the years asked for equal opportunity in the job market so that they can contribute to the society in which they live, sometimes it is almost mind boggling that we see disabled students excelling academically and on graduating find that persons entrusted with the responsibility to employ, overlook obvious ability simply because this valued asset to our business is confined to a wheelchair has a prosthesis, is blind, deaf or suffers a challenging muscle disorder.

The problem is compounded when employment is offered to a well qualified disabled individual at a fraction of the wage that a lesser qualified so called abled individual; simply because of the disability that has not hindered him or her from achieving academically, but because of a different type of blindness does not allow the Human Resource individual see beyond the disability.

YES there will be challenges, YES changes will have to be made to the environment in the building, but is this too much to ask, especially when some businesses are willing to do major changes to a building to accommodate a directors car or new forty foot container. I do not think we are asking too much considering that the disabled community have been known to be at least eight to ten percent more productive than their abled counterparts; yet the adjustments are not being made, the disabled community wants answers, they are no longer willing to stand silently, grow old and not be given a chance to prove that they can do it.

We boast of independence we sing of these hills beyond recall and proudly say they are all our very own, the disabled community is not asking, but demanding that they are given an equal chance to be independent, to see the way paved that they too can become a National Hero, we owe it to them to open the door to achievement beyond the walls that are placed in their way.

Another discomforting factor is the attitude by businesses to persons who have become disabled while still at working age and having been with the company for a period of time significant or otherwise; it appears that a disability regardless of how abled you were before wipes out the ability. For example there was a young man employed in government as a general worker, he was diagnosed with cancer and needed to have an amputation.

The procedure was done and the young man was cleared of cancer at least for the time being, he was been, even though appointed relieved of his position as a general worker, not a rocket scientist, or accountant, he accepted that he would find it difficult to do his former job, he offered alternatives he asked that he be transferred to a job as car park attendant or some other job that did not need him to move around constantly. He was refused the chance to earn a living, and now has to bear the indignity of being a hard back man who for over two years cannot find work, dependent on his family to support him, while receiving a pittance from welfare.

This is only one of the many cases that the disabled community is faced with. Government must seek to establish a protocol that will allow these situations when they arise to be dealt with in a manner that does not compromise the dignity of capable Barbadians, situations that may lead to confrontations that do the Nation no good.

Health issues must be brought into the forefront as well, Myasthenia Gravis as you heard is a slow  working challenge, you tire when doing the most simple tasks, like Multiple Sclerosis, the cost of medication is sometimes out of the reach of the economically challenged person, it is important that a study be done by the Ministry of Health to ensure that drugs are made available to all patients who need them, there is a situation where it is felt that medication is not equally dispensed across the board, but is dictated by other factors. The council will and has been addressing this matter and will continue to so, there must be no discrimination against disabled persons at any level.

A medication that is needed for person with Multiple Sclerosis namely Betaferon and Azonex a drug approved by the government in 2001 to be on the drug schedule to be distributed free of cost to MS patients. These persons who need this medication are having difficulties acquiring this medication within the last three years; the cost is high but the disabled community would prefer not to be subjected to selectivity, I am no doctor but it has been reported to me that one patient has been taken off this medication quite recently and the effect it is having on her is quite obvious.

COST OF SUPPLIES, we are not about to suggest that the price gouging of which we are hearing so much of today is in effect in this area, but we believe that the prices for goods and services offered to the disabled are significantly higher than they should be. The disabled are privy to all the advertisement now available on cable networks and there is a concern.

A hearing aid an absolute necessity to persons with hearing difficulties can cost as much as twelve hundred dollars and if they get wet cease to function, as far as I am told repairs are not available. But would you believe that this is a low end aid the more adequate unit can cost as much as six thousand dollars and heaven forbid if you strive to get a cochlear implant you are now in the thirty thousand dollar US range. It is no wonder that my good friend Senator Kerri Ifill says that blindness is a luxury she cannot afford. A talking microwave she tells me can set her back five hundred UNITED STATES DOLLARS.

As one can see the cost of being disabled is very high, leading us to understand that employment for the disabled is not gift or even a privilege, it is a right. Every school child looks forward to two things when they can get their licence and when the can get a job, this is a human right, yes they are human rights, an abled child leaves school and a job market is opened to them, but the disabled are marginalized, this must stop.

 Corporate Barbados must understand that disabled persons must be accepted into the work force, I do not mean only invisibly disabled, I mean those in wheelchairs and with very visible disabilities. I am pleading with government to establish after school working facilities that will allow children with disabilities, slow learners and differently abled persons to have a place to pursue their ambitions. Do not tell me it is difficult the Learning Centre has trained children in wood work, cosmetology, home economics, and computer technology and even though these children will never be gain first class honours in economics, they will be able to sustain themselves if the work environment is opened to them.

To do this a fully accessible Barbados must be the goal and fully accessible does not only mean ramps and toilets it means fully accessible. Restaurants must recognize that the disabled must be able to socialize in a manner that does not make them dependent on an abled person to order for them, they must be able to socialize on their own terms, to gaze into a lovers eyes away from the person or waiter who believes that they are incompetent to socialize.

Parking for the disabled must be treated with the same level of importance that the Prime Ministers or Governor of the Central Bank or an ambassadors selected parking spot is treated, Mr. Minister please put in place the law that will make parking in a disabled designated spot an offence punishable with a significant fine, the paper work is in the Ministry responsible for bringing into force legislation for years, as former Star Trek commander Picard used to say MAKE IT HAPPEN NUMBER ONE. We have been waiting much too long it is time we just SHUT UP AND DRIVE.

Architects must now design with the disabled in mind, not as an after thought but as an integral part of the planning process when designing for businesses and for private homes, unless this is done, we will face the challenge of having to adjust at significantly higher cost, if a member of our family becomes disabled and finds that the luxury home so carefully planned now becomes totally inaccessible for the husband, wife, parent or child you love but who has become disabled. Unless our country becomes accessible we will be guilty of intentional discrimination to over twenty thousand eligible Barbadians.

It is important that the medical profession continue to do extensive research into the causes of some disabilities, Myasthenia Gravis is one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose lupus and Multiple sclerosis fall into this category, the effects of late diagnosis can cause great concern and in some cases very negative results, living with MG is not easy and the compounded problems as it relates to medication etc. has been or will be covered by our pharmacist.

The convention states clearly that special attention must be given to children and the preamble makes this clear again I quote:
• Recognizing that children with disabilities should have full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children, and recalling obligations to that end undertaken by States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The green paper on Persons with Disabilities states clearly what is expected and on page nineteen section U it states:
• To provide specialised support for all children with disabilities especially in the following areas

1. Special educators
2. Guidance counsellors/workers
3. Teachers aides
4. Physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists
5. Psychologists will be school based covering a number schools in an area. In addition to providing student assessment, they will also provide students with individual and family counselling and convene staff consultation meetings with teachers.
6. National development scholarships will be awarded for training in physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, educational psychology and psychiatric paediatrics.
The white paper has been around for a long time, I believe that the time has come when we must sit and work assiduously at putting into the legislative framework the contents of the white paper where ever possible. By doing this one would ensure that our children will be well prepared for the integration of the disabled that I see on the horizon.

There are many factors that we have to look at when dealing with the challenges that face the disabled and one is realization that we are all only one accident away from being disabled, either by medical procedure, medication to which we are allergic, a slip on the ceramic floor which is very much a part of our daily life style regardless of the cause, the effect will have serious repercussions.

We must bear this in mind and I am sure that if we truly come to grips with the reality we will understand why the disabled community for this year has as its motto
WE WILL BECAUSE WE CAN