— remains a commitment by gov’t as Guyana recovers from COVID-19, says President

GREATER attention needs to be paid to protecting persons living with disabilities as Guyana recovers from COVID-19, President Ali said. Persons with disability are entitled to full benefits available to all citizens.

The President gave this assurance in a message on Friday to mark International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2021, which was also celebrated the world over on Friday.

In recognition of the day, messages were also issued by Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony; Chairman of the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons With Disabilities, Cecil Morris; and Chairman (ag) of the National Commission on Disability, Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon.

In his message, Dr. Ali highlighted his government’s commitment to finding sustainable solutions to the plight of Guyana’s disabled, with emphasis on empowering them economically and socially, enhancing their skills, supporting them with long-term social protection, and providing rehabilitative care where necessary.

“We are prepared to work with our most vulnerable to guarantee a greater role for them in decision-making, to generate their own pathways to personal development and to tap into their undervalued potential,” Dr. Ali said.

“As Guyana joins with the rest of the international community in observing International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2021, I once again assure the disabled that my government will work with them for an inclusive and sustainable future.”

He highlighted the right of disabled persons to fully benefit from all social measures available to citizens, including free education at all levels.
“They are entitled to free treatment at public health institutions, to apply for social protection and government house lots, and to enjoy freedom from discrimination in employment,” he said.

International Day for Persons with Disabilities was established by the United Nations in 1992 with the aim to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

This year, the event is being observed under the theme, “Leadership and participation of Persons with Disabilities towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world.”

According to UN statistics, over one billion people or approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population live with some form of a disability. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), in Guyana approximately 50,000 persons or 6.4 per cent of our population are PWDs.

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony noted that the ministry this year donated several disability-accessible motor vehicles and hearing aids across the country to those in need.

The government, he said continues to strive to ensure that no PWDs are neglected.

Meanwhile, Morris in his message noted that while much has been done by the government to include PWDs, Guyana is still a far way from achieving full inclusion of PWDs in all areas of society. He called for full implementation of the PWD Act 2010, in a timely manner, and highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the circumstances of PWDs.