The Barbados Council for the Disabled (BCD) has lauded the Central Bank of Barbados for considering its members in upgrades to the country’s banknotes.
President of the BDC, Kerryann Ifill said the new features on the polymer banknotes, which will officially go into circulation in December, would allow visually-impaired persons to be more independent.
At yesterday’s unveiling ceremony, Gareth Evans the Country Director for Currency De La Rue, the England-based company responsible for producing the banknotes, revealed that the new bills would have several features to assist those with visual challenges.
These include more pronounced features with tactile markers of various shapes to differentiate the denomination of each note as well as more vibrant colours.
Speaking to Barbados TODAY, Ifill pointed out that both the EC currency and Trinidad and Tobago currency were made of polymer which provided assistance to the visually impaired. She said she was glad to see Barbados was following suit.
“As a totally blind person myself we welcome the measures that they are taking to increase the accessibility because the last issue of banknotes in 2013 did make an attempt but because it was cotton paper-based it doesn’t stand up to the test of time.”
“No longer do I have to ask and depend on the honesty of people around us. Now truthfully we don’t have many instances of people robbing us but there is a whole difference between needing and having. The thing is there are applications on cellphones and other devices that can assist with identifying the currency by colour and such but this access will be for anybody – older members of the community that don’t use mobile devices, newly blinded persons that don’t read braille, with this new note it increases the level of access and increases our independence,” Ifill said.
The former President of the Senate however called on financial institutions to match Government’s energy by improving the experience for disabled persons.
She suggested that talking ATMS [Automatic Teller Machines] be introduced in Barbados.
“What would be wonderful is if they could start introducing talking ATM machines into Barbados so that persons who are visually-impaired can have the complete experience where they can go to the ATM, withdraw their money, know how much cash they’ve received and don’t have to depend on anybody at all. That’s the next step,” Ifill said.
“Financial institutions also need to address the issues of access for persons, not just the blind but to all persons with a variety of disabilities, including staff sensitivity training to improve all of the challenges facing persons who are disabled and to start addressing those in a more meaningful way,” Ifill added. (RB)
