Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne on Tuesday challenged Barbadian businesses to embrace the cost of disability access upgrades, arguing that commercial interests must not override the dignity of people with disabilities.
During the debate on the 2023/2030 National Disabilities Policy to Improve the Lives of Persons with Disabilities in Parliament, Thorne drew on biblical imagery to rebuke those who might question expensive accessibility modifications.
“If a ramp costs half of what it costs to construct the building, it is not a financial loss, but it is a gain to the entire congregation that that one person can find access to the building”, he said, referring to the parable of the lost sheep. “Beyond the church, it is a gain to all commercial and public establishments that accord the dignified right of access
[to all].”
Whilst expressing full support for the policy presented by Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey, Thorne highlighted persistent societal barriers affecting the disabled community, noting continued hesitancy among some businesses to invest in accessibility improvements despite recent retrofitting of several buildings across the island.
The opposition leader also pointed to deep-rooted discriminatory attitudes, which he said begin in childhood.
“We have been guilty of the many sins committed against the community of disability – mental and physical. That begins from childhood; you go back to the playground of primary school, the things that children would have said to each other reflected that sin, that lack of sensitivity, that lack of care, that lack of compassion,” he said.
Thorne called for a “paradigm shift” to address physical, attitudinal and language barriers, emphasising the need for greater sensitisation around the terminology used when addressing people with disabilities. He noted that even innocently used terms could create discomfort for those living with disabilities.
The opposition leader stressed that education would be crucial in fostering greater inclusivity, despite any discomfort the subject might bring. (SB)
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