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Last Updated: Jun 16th, 2008 - 06:23:13 |
IN concluding his Feature Address during yesterday’s Opening Ceremony and official handing-over of the refurbished and specially converted office space for the Barbados Council for the Disabled (BCD), Prime Minister Owen Arthur made good on his earlier declaration that he had “come to pledge government’s support in a meaningful way.”
Lauding the efforts of the nation’s Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) generally, and terming the refurbishment initiative “a promise of hope for some of our longest-suffering but most deserving citizens,” the Prime Minister informed to applause that “every year, the government is going to meet the core-budget of running this business.”
In making this announcement, he informed that “it is not government’s wish that an institution [of its kind] should have to struggle every year to make ends meet.”
Identified as a undertaking borne of both private and public sector efforts, the Council’s new Office and Resource Centre (formerly home to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Relief Agency ), forms part of a five-year- renewable-lease project approved by Cabinet since December 2003.
This latest indication of governmental largesse was no doubt welcomed news to BCD President Mrs. Boneta Phillips, who in her address termed as “difficult” the development of the umbrella organisation over its twenty-eight year lifespan.
Noting the challenges faced by the organisation in seeking to integrate itself into the wider society, Mrs. Phillips expressed pleasure at the growth of the BCD’s membership-base, which has increased from three, to its current total of seventeen affiliate organisations.
Remarking upon the fact that the new Centre was being handed over during the Month of the Disabled, the BCD President shared an organisational ethos which demands “total acceptance and integration” by and into local society.
In this regard, she declared the BCD’s intention “to work towards an inclusive society, where persons with disabilities become part of the workforce; where architectural designs are such, that everyone in our community can enjoy the physical environment, access every public and private building, and have equal access to sports and other recreational facilities.”
Mrs. Phillips nevertheless acknowledged as untenable the organisation’s total “dependence upon volunteers and fund-raising activities” in order to achieve its many objectives.
Instead, she appealed for “strengthened partnerships” with government departments, the private sector, educational institutions and kindred NGOs.
This aspect of operational challenge was a concern also elaborated upon by Minister of Social Transformation Hon. Hamilton Lashley, who in his address informed that he “shared in the frustrations of the Council in finding the appropriate accommodation.” The Minister deemed the BCD venture “no easy task,” citing a historical local propensity for buildings to be constructed without taking into due consideration their accessibility by members of the local disabled community.
Declaring such “environmental handicaps” to have placed disabled persons at a disadvantage, Minister Lashley lamented the consequent prevention of such persons “from participating in the socio-economic development” of the nation.
The Social Transformation Minister consequently lauded his administration’s initiatives towards redressing these inequities, asserting that government had “placed ‘disability-issues’ on its national development agenda” since assuming office.
In marking the presence of local advocate for the disabled Senator Ivan Linton, Master of Ceremonies Wayne “Cool” Simmons also acknowledged the attendance of other government officials and private sector representatives such as Public Works Minister Gline Clarke and former Chief Justice Sir Denys Williams, amongst others.
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