NGO praises govt’s disabilities initiatives

Though they have a long way to go, Government is taking great strides to make life in TT better for people with disabilities.

Jacqueline Leotaud, president of the Consortium of Disabilities Organisation (CODO), made the statement yesterday at the closing ceremony of the organisation’s Parent Advocacy Training Programme Stage II at the Mt Hope/Mt Lambert Community Centre.

According to Leotaud, the Government was working on several initiatives including an inclusive education system, ensuring that voting was accessible to all, as well as new and effective legislation.

She said the Ministry of Planning and Development was working on having cars adapted for people with physical disabilities, handicapped parking, and tags for handicap vehicles. And the Airports Authority already made it so people with disabilities had a pleasant travel experience which included easy access to wheelchairs with well-trained assistants, and a quiet room people on the autism spectrum.

She applauded the Government, calling the initiatives “spot on and very exciting,” and assured those present CODO would try to continue working with the State to ensure disabilities are always part of their planning. She added that legislation could take a while to be enacted so advocacy groups would be necessary to push the government forward. “It is our job now to formally get together to ensure that the State follows through on these wonderful initiatives and that TT eventually becomes a totally inclusive society.”

CODO is an umbrella organisation with a membership of 43 disability organisations and its mission is empowerment through advocacy. Through its six-week Parent Advocacy Training Programme parents and caregivers of children with disabilities were educated about the rights of their children and equipped with the skills to advocate for everyone with disabilities.

Leotaud explained that the organisation focussed on parents because they cared the most and would have a life-long commitment to the cause. She said one urgent issue was the health care system as there were not enough trained people to cater to people with disabilities. Also she said more places that perform multi-disciplinary assessments were necessary so a programme of therapy could be worked out for each individual. She lamented that many children at schools were not learning or even functioning. “They go to do the SEA exam and they can’t read. Nobody talks about them but they are there and sometimes they colour the right answer so they pass. Then they go into secondary school and they are lost in the system.”

She added that the technology and equipment available were not up-to-date and only a few places in the country cater to the needs of people with disabilities at all. She said they needed a larger range of medication, specific furniture, special equipment and more, all of which are expensive.

She said although Government support did not cover these vital needs, CODO was still appreciative of the steps being made to live up to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.