Georgetown : A Sensitisation Seminar on the Disability Act 2010 organised by the Guyana Road Safety Association in collaboration with the National Commission on Disability (NCD) was held in the compound of the Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary. The event was aimed at sensitising the Guyana Police Force (GPF) members and the National Road Safety Associations on the Persons with Disabilities Act 2010 with a view towards assisting them to fulfill their obligations regarding it.
Addressing the participants at the opening of the event yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee focused on the obligations of his Ministry and the GPF. He emphasised that the Ministry of Home Affairs considers persons with disabilities as being just as deserving as all others in receiving the various Government services, including those provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and its constituent agencies.
The Minister pointed this seminar was a result of a meeting in August, between himself and representatives of the Guyana Association of the Visually Impaired, which focused on matters of concern to the Association. He noted that the August meeting was followed up by an engagement with the NCD, as the national oversight body for disability issues, for further discussions.
Minister Rohee gave the assurance to the Commission and all persons with disabilities that, “the Ministry of Home Affairs will not shirk its responsibility to you, as provided for by law. We are eager to work with you in bringing the provisions of the Act to fruition, in the shortest possible time.”
He urged Guyanese, particularly motorists, to recognise the special circumstances of persons with disabilities and to demonstrate greater care and consideration for them. “Members of the Guyana Police Force, traffic ranks in particular, are also urged to be even more responsive to persons with disabilities who they may encounter in the execution of their duties.”
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary of the NCD Ms. Beverly Pile in her presentation to the seminar said the NCD recognises that there are persons with disabilities in society who have to be catered for. “We try to ensure that the rights between persons with disabilities and others are no different. The commission’s main goal therefore is to negotiate with all policy makers, programme planners in the various entities, whether public or private and even civil society. To make sure that when they have made up their programme, in it there is inclusion of persons with disabilities.
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