THE National Disability Commission (NDC) will in September commence a house-to-house survey to gather information on persons with disabilities in Region Six. This was disclosed by Beverly Pile, Executive Secretary of the NDC at the National Toshaos Conference (NTC) Meeting, at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre, Liliendaal.A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) noted that due to the remoteness of indigenous communities, Pile said that it is difficult for people with disabilities to be properly catered for. The survey according to Pile will be done in every region, but, “it will take some time in which we will do it.”

The NDC Secretary added, “We are situated in Georgetown, and if we don’t come out of our offices and come to places like these, to meet the toshaos and the persons who are very close to those persons with disabilities in the indigenous areas, we wouldn’t get them.”
According to GINA, Pile noted that the NDC grabbed the opportunity to participate in the NTC to get close with the leaders of the various communities and to collect valuable information on what is happening within. Once the information is gathered, the needs of the people can be catered for efficiently, Pile asserted.
Additionally, Pile said that the survey will help the NDC craft policies which would attend to the needs of persons with disabilities. These include “the right to employment, the right to education, to right to health, the right to recreation and sport, the right to housing and water,[and] the right to [be involved in ] political issues,” Pile explained.
Members of the NTC asked about the systems in place to assist persons with disabilities, who have to travel to collect their public assistance. The secretary explained that the NDC works in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection to assist such persons.
Further, the toshaos raised concerns about parents who work and leave their disabled children with overseers. The toshaos noted that it is costly and asked that something be done to ease the parents’ burden.

Pile told the toshaos that while nothing is currently in place, she will be taking up the issue with the Ministry of Social Protection.