Nat’l Commission on Disability currently conducting survey
– Commission drafting report on disabled persons in Guyana
– Report intends to inform policy makers of disabilities’ needs
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, October 24, 2018
In recognition of the importance of giving consideration to the needs of persons with disabilities when planning and implementing policies, the National Commission on Disability has rolled out a countrywide survey.
This survey is intended to locate persons with disabilities, categorise their conditions and identify their respective needs. At the end of this process, all the relevant data gathered will be forwarded to major administrators for consideration in their decision-making process.
According to Communications Officer attached to the Commission, Avonel Corrica, the survey aims to ascertain the needs of persons with disabilities as it relates to health, education, housing and access to public facilities among other critical inputs that government and other policymakers can influence.
“For this survey, we are going to various houses, in the ten administrative regions, to locate persons with disabilities, find out their needs and whatever is required in terms of education, housing and so on,” Corrica explained.
She added that this survey has been conducted in Regions Two, Three, Five, Six and Ten. The Commission will start the exercise in Region Four shortly. The compiled reports on the findings of the survey will be officially presented in 2019.
When the government is preparing a budget and planning to construct new facilities, add new programmes, lobby for international funding among other things, the needs of persons with disabilities, for example, the presence of a ramp for disabled persons when constructing buildings, will become a determining major factor.
Also, for the hearing and speech impaired, public institutions and buildings will be expected to have in place, persons specialising in sign language to help with communication.
Delicia Haynes
Images: Anil Seelall