‘A sense of betrayal’

A Government Senator told the Upper House on Monday of the disappointment and sense of betrayal he and other young people feel, following the lack of support for a constitutional amendment to reduce the minimum age of eligibility for appointment to the Upper House from 21 to 18.

Senator Andwele Boyce expressed his feelings about the matter on Monday as he gave Government credit for measures included in the Estimates to expand opportunities for the youth, and called for more for the disabled.

Rising near the end of the morning session to contribute to debate on the Appropriation Bill 2022, he reminded that in his maiden speech in the Senate last week, on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2022, he spoke about “the call for active participation”.

“I hoped that we would aspire to more and that we would have changed and ordered ourselves differently. I cannot let this opportunity pass [without placing] on the record my profound sense of disappointment and the betrayal of some of the nation’s youngest citizens that they, it appears, are not enough to represent their own interests in these places,” he said.

Last Friday, Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Lisa Cummins adjourned debate on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2022 when it became evident that the required two-thirds majority vote would not have been achieved.

A day later, Prime Minister Mia Mottley indicated via a press release that in light of the clear indication by Independent senators that they would not have supported the measure, she would have to shelve her plan to have 18-year-old Khaleel Kothdiwala appointed as a senator.

Senator Boyce’s comments about betrayal given the outcome of that effort drew an objection from another member of the Upper Chamber, Senator Kevin Boyce, who rose near the end of his colleague’s speech on a point of order.

Saying that he had waited “so as not to interrupt what I think is a most appropriate proper contribution”, he said the younger Boyce’s comments were in breach of the Standing Orders as they could impute improper motives to members of the Upper House. He, therefore, sought to have the reference struck from the records.

However, President of the Senate Reginald Farley disagreed, ruling that the comments were not accusatory.

“I did not hear it to make accusatory reference to members of this place or to anyone….otherwise I would have stepped in to defend the Standing Orders,” he said.

Earlier, Senator Boyce had indicated that while the moment for having persons as young as 18 in the Senate had passed, “the moment for engagement for the youth is still here and the Government of Barbados must be credited with the development of programmes and policies and a range of measures that seek to empower young people and, might I add, persons with disabilities in these Estimates”.

He made specific reference to the continued financing of the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme, the Barbados Youth Advance Corps (BYAC), and additional support for athletes, as outlined in the Estimates.

At the same time, he offered suggestions for further development of the BYCA, a two-year programme for 16 to 20-year-olds that exposes them to discipline, citizenship and civic education, self-esteem building, etiquette, and personal development courses, and also includes a technical and vocational training component.

“As good as the work is, perhaps we can consider a model that goes beyond vocational training and that has the ability to respond to other shortages in the Barbadian workforce, including social workers in schools, or persons trained and interested in the psychosocial social development of special needs individuals,” Senator Boyce said.

Turning attention from the youth to the disabled, he said progress in that area “has perhaps been less stellar”.

The senator, who has a mobile disability, acknowledged the work of the Albert Cecil Graham Development Centre which provides children with disabilities with access to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, among other services.

“In some instances, the physio occupational and speech therapy, and among other things it provides, sometimes represent the only such services that some children in this country with disabilities have access to. And so, I implore the Ministry of Health to continue their refurbishment of that centre to continue, as they have indicated in these Estimates, to staff that place appropriately and to continue to develop a client-centred [atmosphere] within those walls,” said Senator Boyce, a former client of the centre.

“The services of that place are necessary and no doubt are a part of why I have the ability to stand here and speak to you now.”

Senator Boyce expressed concern that while teachers were receiving special education training, many of them were opting to take up administrative posts rather than stay in the classroom “close to the people who need them”.

“There has been a trend in special education and in special education training – and I certainly do not begrudge anybody their advancement – where people get this kind of training and . . . they segue quite quickly into becoming educational administrators. The children need you in the nation’s classrooms and the availability of that training is an important way to ensure that children across this country continue to have access to the quality education that we all deserve,” he said in the month designated here as Month of the Disabled.

Senator Boyce added that he was looking forward to the passage of promised new legislation for the disabled to respond to their needs and address the existing deficiencies.

“I’m excited to see the Government of Barbados create the enabling environment for persons with disabilities to not only be beneficiaries of a system but to contribute to the development of this country like so many of us wish to do,” he said. (DP)