Dear Editor,
The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) joins the United Nations (UN), members of the international and regional disability communities and Guyanese living with disabilities today to observe International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme “Building back better, toward a disability inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.
The annual observance of IDPD was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and to increase awareness of their situation in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.
As we observe IDPD 2020, there is a need more than ever to promote an understanding of the plethora of issues plaguing the lives of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs in Guyana). These issues have long affected the independence and productivity of this marginalized group.
However, the current COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown has brought greater focus on the challenges of this community. Yes, we do recognize all Guyana and the World have suffered and continue to suffer, however due to the social location of PWDs their difficulties were further exacerbated by the pandemic. This community of vulnerable people has always been forced to live on the fringes of society, resulting from the stigma and discrimination and social barriers they have to face on a daily basis.
As we rebuild the Guyanese economy post COVID-19, we call on the government and other stakeholders to ensure that PWDs are considered and included in all rebuilding and development plans and the contents of the Guyana PWD Act 2010 are implemented in a timely manner. We also take this opportunity express appreciation to His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali and his government for the initiatives taken thus far to promote and fulfill the rights of PWDs.
GCOPD also takes this opportunity to call on our policy makers to:
– Develop a programme for the allocation of a monthly “Disability Grant” to qualified PWDs, as a living allowance. This grant should be administered separately from the “Public Assistance” Grant;
– Ensure that qualified and skilled PWDs be allocated a small percentage of all public sector jobs;
– Ensure that all public schools are accessible and are governed by a relevant Special Education Needs (SEN) policy that promotes the integration and full participation of children with disabilities, ensuring they acquire a meaningful education;
– Allocate more resources to the SEN with emphasis on the use of technology in the classroom and teacher training;
– Ensure that all public buildings are accessible to PWDs, in compliance with the Guyana PWD Act 2010;
– Ensure that PWDs have a voice in the expenditure of the revenues from the oil and gas sector;
Yours faithfully,
Ganesh Singh
