Hinkson eager to serve disabled community

Re-elected St James North MP Edmund Hinkson is anxious to get to work to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

Hinkson, a former president of the Barbados Council of the Disabled and long time advocate for the disabled will head a commission that will seek to improve living conditions for the vulnerable group.

“ I would not be in elective politics but for my desire, overwhelming, to leave a legacy of having improved the rights of people with disabilities,” Hinkson told Barbados TODAY.

“And, therefore, the opportunity to serve in such a capacity, from my perspective, trumps any ministerial position or posting for myself at this time.”

The former government minister’s involvement with the disabilities commission was also announced by then Governor General, now President Dame Sandra Mason in her September 2020 throne speech.

However, the entity, which would impact the lives of more than 15,000 Barbadians, has not yet come to fruition.

The veteran lawyer intends to spearhead the creation of legislation that enshrines equal access to education, employment and participation in the country’s social affairs for disabled people.

He acknowledged that the passing of the Employment (Prevention Of Discrimination) Act of 2020 provides some protection, but added that comprehensive laws are still needed to grant disabled people the ability to seek affirmative action.

“There’s obviously some discrimination in terms of health policies for persons with disabilities, insurance policies, and on the issue of access by persons with disabilities to social security benefits and these are in need of reform,” said Hinkson.

“We need reforms so that everyone with disabilities, who, because of those disabilities are incapable of working, should be able to access benefits.”

Hinkson is also intent on ensuring that many students between the nursery and tertiary level will be able to benefit from the country’s free education in ways that are not currently available.

He also wants to ensure Barbados honours its international obligations under the United Nations with domestic laws that explicitly protect vulnerable groups.
(KS)