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Bahamas National Council For The Disabled Renews Call For Disabilities Legislation
Related to country: Bahamas

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Renewed Call For Disabilities Legislation:
By Rolanda Epstein -
Nassau, Bahamas:


The Bahamas National Council For The Disabled is hoping the government comes through and brings legislation to parliament this year, which would protect the rights of people with disabilities in The Bahamas.

In the Speech from the Throne last May, the new government promised a sustained campaign of awareness aimed at educating the public on the rights of the disabled.

The government said early attention will also be given to the completion of the National Disability Register.

Council President Sherman Smith said Friday the Council is hopeful that legislation will soon be passed.

He said such legislation would prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of life, including civil rights, employment, education, housing, goods, facilities and services, including health, access to justice and access to transportation.

Former Minister of Social Services and Community Development Melanie Griffin promised repeatedly while the Christie Administration was in office that the government would bring a disabilities bill to parliament, but she admitted in the weeks leading up to the May 2 election that such a bill would have to wait.

Mr. Smith said that for 15 years the Council has been working toward making this legislation a reality.

As far back as June 11, 1999, former minister of housing and social development, Algernon Allen, tabled a report in parliament on the needs of disabled persons.

The report contained objectives and strategies to achieve equal rights for persons with disabilities and it referred to increasing access to buildings, access to transportation, rights to housing, health and rehabilitation, social security, and proper legal protection.

Mr. Smith said that as a person living with a disability he has seen first hand how everyday life can be a challenge for people with disabilities.

"It is time for Bahamians to stop ignoring people living with disabilities," Mr. Smith said. "One issue that The Bahamas needs to address is its building codes because I have experienced some form of difficulty in accessing some government buildings."

He said the disability council hopes all new public buildings are disabled friendly.

"When you eat at restaurants today [many] disabled [individuals] cannot even use [those facilities]," he said. "We want it to be mandatory that the Ministry of Works when approving building plans make sure the bathrooms in those public facilities are friendly for disabled people."

Mr. Smith said it is also difficult for some disabled people to find work because in some instances they are discriminated against.

"Many [disabled individuals] feel as if they are not given the same opportunity for employment as the average man on the street," he said.

5 January 2007

January 5, 2008 | 10:33 PM Comments  0 comments

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