In an effort to ensure that persons with disabilities have the same opportunities as every Guyanese, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications yesterday donated a number of tablets and a robotic kit to the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD).
The presentation ceremony was held at the Ministry of Public Telecommunications on Camp Street, in Georgetown.
Minister Cathy Hughes told attendees how honoured the ministry was to grant GCOPD’s request by donating 59 tablets and a robotics kit to them. She said that it was just one of the many initiatives the ministry has embarked on to focus on persons with disabilities. With the exception of a few, namely Ganesh Singh, persons with disabilities have been very silent and living on the fringes of the society, Hughes said. The initiative, she added, is to ensure that they have the same opportunities and tools for learning along with personal goals as any other Guyanese.
Further, Hughes said that the ministry made it a priority to ensure that persons, including those with disabilities, have equal access to ICT, so they too can contribute their talents and gifts and participate in the community’s development. That is why, she said, the ministry is trying to equip them with the tools that are necessary in giving them an education. “Persons with various disabilities in Guyana are in fact much better organised that the average citizen,” she said.
In conclusion, Hughes said that the initiative would not have not been successful without the support of Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, who was willing to assist them with the project.
Ganesh Singh, the programme coordinator of GCOPD, in his remarks, said that when he approached the minister months ago about initiatives involving persons with disabilities, she immediately responded favourably, which eventually led to yesterday’s successful outcome.
Singh related that the tablets will be used for the ongoing CSEC program-mes, which falls under the Guyana Society for the Blind, and also for the establishment of a Disability Resource Unit, one of which will be at the University of Guyana, so that persons who are studying can have access to information.
In addition, Singh mentioned that the National Data Management Agency, which has since fallen under the Ministry of the Presidency, has provided technical support at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) by providing laptops. He also mentioned that they are in the process of establishing STEM clubs at four special schools. Those schools are Saint Barnabas, David Rose, and the Diamond Special Needs School along with the Resource Unit for the Blind in Georgetown.
Singh wholeheartedly thanked the minister before saying that technology has transformed the lives of persons especially those with vision disability. Before that, he said, those persons had a lot of difficulties accessing information but now with the use of technology, persons with disabilities are pursuing their degrees at UG and he is thankful that the ministry has come to realise what technology can do for persons with disabilities.
“I am really happy about the initiative and it’s just one ‘cause I’m sure the minister has a number of plans for the disabled community. If this continues to happen, we will see a different status quo with persons with disabilities in Guyana,” Singh concluded.
