Georgetown: Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud says her Ministry intends to use $30 million of its budgetary allocation to build a complex at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara to provide training for persons with disabilities.
During her interview on NCN’s “Budget in Focus,” Dr. Persaud said the 2021 Budget reflects the Government’s commitment to inclusivity and her Ministry is poised to ensure persons with disabilities are given access to opportunities that would empower them.
Dr. Persaud said the initiative would not only benefit those persons, but would reduce discrimination against them by creating an awareness that while some persons may have special needs, they are an integral part of the society.
“We need to ensure that there’s equal pay when they are in the working world. Since getting into office, there has been a push to ensure that persons living with disabilities can have employment so now moving in this direction with the construction of a disability complex we are equipping them with the skills so that they can get into the working world.”
The Minister said the programmes would be widely publicised and training opportunities would be open to persons with every kind of disability.
“People who have mobility issues might want to benefit in some way, people who are visually impaired might look at something else that they can do. This will be tailored to fit whatever the need is,” she said.
Dr. Persaud said the facility would offer programmes that cater to all education levels, including early school leavers.
“Once any person feels that they want to constructively contribute to their community, to the society and ultimately their country, and they feel that they want to access these skills, it’s an open-door policy.”
Consultations will be held with persons living with disabilities to outline some of the programmes they would like to see offered.
