The Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MOPT) recently spearheaded a web accessibility training programme to create public awareness of the disability-friendly features built into modern devices.
Train-the-Trainers ‘Internet 4 @all’, held under the theme, Internet Accessibility and Inclusivity, was aimed at persons living with disabilities. Apart from raising public awareness, the course participants were also tasked with designing other programmes that would make it easy for persons with disabilities to access and consume web content.
A release from the ministry related that the five-day programme, which ended on May 24, was the beginning of a five-week International Telecommu-nications Union (ITU) led Train-the-Trainers initiative. Over the next four weeks, the participants will continue to be engaged in tutoring online, following which they will be tested by the union, before qualifying for the ITU’s Creation and Remediation of Digital Content certificate.
The course was facilitated by ITU’s Senior Programme Officer, Roxana Widmer-Iliescu, who it was reported emphasized the fact that any programme aimed at addressing disabilities must include the aging population, as people develop age-related impairments.
The release said she lauded government’s commitment to the community of persons with disabilities, and the efforts to make sure their access to information, facilities and amenities. Further, she related that she is impressed with the all-in approach that has been taken by government, stating that she intends to use her experience here as a model for ITU.
It was stated that Widmer-Iliescu presented Minister of Public Tele-communications, Cathy Hughes, with a roadmap for public awareness and training in web accessibility and inclusivity, to be implemented by the ministry in the immediate future.
Tax exemption policy
Hughes, during her address, expressed gratitude to the ITU for responding to the ministry’s request for assistance without conditions.
In another win for the ministry, she indicated that the Guyana Revenue Authority has put into effect a new tax exemption policy for persons with disabilities. First announced by Minister of Finance Winston Jordan while delivering the 2019 budget, a proposal for exemptions in relation to retrofitted vehicles and smart phones was made by the MOPT in 2018, the release noted.
It was pointed out that the proposals stemmed from concerns raised by disabled citizens during the ministry’s public outreaches, subsequent to which, ICT experts confirmed that there are many unused features and apps already built into smart phones, tablets and other computer devices, prompting the ministry to begin building public awareness.
