As many as nine out of ten people living with disabilities in Barbados are unemployed, according to Edmund Hinkson, chairman of the Advisory Committee for Improving the Lives of People with Disabilities.
But he cautioned that the passage of landmark disability rights legislation which he described as a “tremendously historic piece of social policy”, should not mark the end of the effort to achieve equality and inclusion.
“This legislation will not be the be-all and end-all,” Hinkson said in an impassioned speech in Parliament on Tuesday during the debate on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill. “After it is enacted, we cannot just pat ourselves on the back and say we’ve ‘achieved’. Public awareness and sensitisation must continue . . . it’s an ongoing process.”
The legislation is aimed at addressing long-standing challenges faced by people with disabilities, including limited access to employment, education and public services.
Hinkson noted that the staggering unemployment rate highlights the need for a structured approach to empower disabled individuals to enter the workforce.
He revealed that while earlier drafts of the legislation included quotas for employing people with disabilities in both government and private sector agencies, those provisions were removed after deliberation.
Instead, he proposed that memoranda of understanding (MOUs) be developed between the Ministry of People Empowerment and businesses to create pathways for employing disabled Barbadians.
“A skills register must be developed so that when a business wants to employ a person with a disability, they can contact the ministry and find someone qualified for the role,” he suggested.
Highlighting the positive feedback from businesses that have employed people with disabilities, the MP for St James North urged others to follow suit.
He further called for regular training and sensitisation workshops for companies, particularly for customer-facing staff, to address discriminatory practices.
Pointing to instances where banks have imposed unnecessary restrictions on disabled individuals, Hinkson said: “Imagine being told you need your mother to open a bank account just because you’re in a wheelchair. That’s foolishness and must change.”
Hinkson also underscored the need to improve educational opportunities for children with disabilities, including enhancing the status of the Irving Wilson School for the deaf. He said the institution is not currently recognised as a secondary school, which limits the opportunities available to its students.
He also stressed the importance of making Barbados fully accessible, both for residents and tourists who are disabled: “A fully accessible Barbados would not only improve the lives of those living with disabilities but also attract more tourists with disabilities, making us a more inclusive and appealing destination.”
Hinkson, who has been a campaigner for the disabled community for over 30 years, described the bill’s passage as a deeply personal achievement.
“When I was a little boy, I promised my sister [who is deaf], my parents, and the Lord that I would use whatever education this country gave me to assist in the cause of persons with disabilities. For me, this is a tremendous day,” he said.
He praised the collaborative efforts that brought the legislation to fruition, crediting ministers for their support and highlighting the national consensus on the issue.
“This is a socially transformative bill. It represents the collective will of our people to advance the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities,” Hinkson said.
“When enacted into our legislation will be the most transformative, comprehensive, wide-ranging, modern piece of legislation in the Caribbean region.” (SM)
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