| …House chides PNCR ‘no show’ By Fareeza HaniffThe much anticipated Persons with Disabilities Bill was last evening sent to a special select committee although receiving the support from a lone member of the opposition.Except for the attendance by GAP/ROAR member, Everall Franklin, no other Member of Parliament from the National Assembly attended the parliament sitting yesterday.This was met with much disgust by the parliamentarians from the government’s side of the House,Cheap Soccer Jerseys For Sale, who noted that the actions by the members from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) left much to be desired.Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who tabled the bill, told the house that the PNCR has displayed their disrespect for persons who are disabled.“The PNCR had said that they would be here (Parliament) for all important bills and this is an indication that they don’t think that this bill is important…in not being here, they have not only abdicated (given up) their responsibility that the people who voted for them provided, but they have disrespected people who are living with disabilities in our country and clearly demonstrated that they don’t care,” Minister Ramsammy said.The bill is designed to provide certain rights to persons with disabilities, including the promotion, protection and full equal enjoyment of those rights.It also intends to facilitate the enforcement of the rights and eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability even as it serves to provide for the welfare and rehabilitation for such persons.During his presentation to the National Assembly last evening, Minister Ramsammy revealed that the government intends to spend a total of $20 million to purchase a special bus, which will be adequately equipped to transport persons living with disabilities.According to the Health Minister, at present there is no vehicle in Guyana that is properly equipped to transport the differently-able.The National Assembly was informed that the tenders are already out for the procurement of such a bus, which is expected to be purchased within the next three months.The Bill will not only lead to the removal of the physical barriers in the National Assembly, but in all buildings that are meant for public access, including the schools, hospitals,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys, health centres and the various ministries.Dr. Ramsammy pointed out that although persons with disabilities are denied certain rights,Discount NFL Jerseys, the passage of the Bill will not correct the situation overnight.However,China Jerseys Cheap, he noted that the passage of the legislation begins the process of change.A section of the Bill ensures that there is a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities so that there is free access to public and private buildings and it also mandates the Central Housing & Planning Authority to publish guidelines and building codes within five years and to enforce it.The Bill also addresses the ability of disabled persons to drive and to have access to public transportation.The census of 2002 revealed that 7 per cent of Guyana’s population is disabled. But according to Minister Ramsammy, the census only counted with significant disabilities. However, it showed that people in their definition of disability amounted to approximately 50,000 persons.Of that number 20,WBC Jerseys 2017,000 live in region Four, 8,000 in region Six, 6,000 in region Three,Jerseys From China, 4,000 in regions Two and Five and 3,000 in region ten.According to Dr. Ramsammy, just over 12 per cent of these persons are below the age of 15 years old, which means that there are 8,000 children that are living with disabilities. , In this regard, in order to have a more accurate figure on the amount of persons living with disabilities, the legislation provides for the registration of persons with disabilities through the already established National Commission on Disabilities.There are approximately 10,000 people in Guyana who are living with impaired mobility, and up to 10 years ago, they could not have accessed wheelchairs. But this started to change in the early 1990’s and now today most persons have access to a wheelchair with the help of the Ministry of Health.Currently the Health Ministry is establishing a wheelchair repair department at the Materials Management Unit, which will train people living with disabilities to operate it.According to the Health Minister, with the increasing number of persons who are paraplegic, there is an increasing need for prosthetic services as the lab has provided 50 prosthetic limbs so far this year.The bill received the support from Minister within the Education Ministry Dr. Desrey Fox and Labour Minister,Cheap Mens Adidas Basketball Shoes, Manzoor Nadir.It was sent to the special select committee and is expected to be passed in the National Assembly before the end of the year. |
