THE Disabled Persons Network (DPN) of Region 6 is calling on the authorities for assistance with either a piece of land, where a permanent structure can be set up, or office space within a building, where members can meet regularly.

Past president of the DPN, Dawn Benjamin, told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that the organisation has lost many of its members because of the lack of a building to facilitate meetings and other activities planned by the organisation.

“We are desperately in need of a building. We have not met as a group since last year February,” Benjamin told the Guyana Chronicle. The woman, who served as president for the organisation from 2011 to 2013, said the DPN was once an active body that worked tirelessly to empower persons living with various disabilities.

Formed in 2009, Benjamin noted, the organisation’s aim is to empower disabled persons living in the Region 6 area.

LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE
She noted that many of the members and disabled persons generally have low self-confidence. DPN, she said, works to correct that. Members are encouraged and told that they too can lead productive and successful lives despite their disabilities.

“We teach them how to use the computer, we also do skills training with them,” she said.
But the organisation has been unable to meet since last February due to the lack of a building or office space from which they can operate, and persons have decided to withdraw themselves from the organization.

“We are not getting meetings, we need a building of our own…this is our main problem. People are staying away,” the woman stressed.

Prior to February 2015, DPN members met at the Special Needs School located at Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam. “Our aim is to achieve a building of our own,” Benjamin told Guyana Chronicle.

Asked whether the organisation has sought assistance from the Government or the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), DPN’s past president said during her tenure she had written to former President Donald Ramotar and the RDC for assistance, but to no avail. She explained that an overseas-based organization, Builders Beyond Borders, was willing to assist the organisation with the construction of a building, but unfortunately DPN could not secure the land. The Regional Chairman at the time had promised to assist the organisation with the land, but the promise never materialised.

Visually impaired, Benjamin said the land promised to the group was showed to the organisation but reports indicated that the land was the centre of a dispute between the Town Council and the Region.

“They had us going to and fro. The Council had promised us another (piece of land) but that didn’t happen, and by then the people (Builders Beyond Borders) went ahead and made a similar offer to construct the building to another group on the West Coast of Berbice (WCB).”

After losing the offer, many DPN members became frustrated and stayed away. “We had great plans, you know. We wanted to do skills training and information technology, but our members kept dropping out because of the frustration.”

MAJOR HICCUP
The DPN representative said that lack of a building has proven to be a major hiccup for the group, but she remains optimistic that public-spirited citizens would assist in whatever way they can.

It is her intention to reach out to the Regional Office again, and then she would seek the support of Government through the Ministry of Social Protection.

“Even if they can’t give us land, give us some space we can occupy. It is just for us to meet and get things done. A year is a long time,” she lamented.

The current president, Walton Edwards, is also due to demit office, but due to lack of meetings, a new executive could not be appointed. Benjamin explained that work is in train to have an interim body formed.

“I don’t want the organisation to go down…we had a good thing going… we are only inactive because we lack a meeting space,” she told the Guyana Chronicle.

It is Benjamin’s wish to have the organisation operate on a full-time basis. In the past, when DPN occupied a space at the Special Needs School, it was only afforded approximately two hours, and members met there once a month, which she said is not sufficient.

“The major priority is to get a building of our own, that is all we need,” Benjamin remarked. The former president said it is her aim to reach all of the disabled persons within the Region 6 area, and empower them with skills. With an established office, she believes that aim would be realized. (agordon@guyanachronicle.com)

By Ariana Gordon