Laws to protect disabled soon to go before Parliament

The promised slew of legislation aimed at protecting the disabled, the elderly and other vulnerable groups should go before Parliament by the end of the current financial year.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey gave this indication on Friday, as he expressed disappointment that authorities have been getting a lot of things “half right” over the years when it came to the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups in Barbados.

He said while a lot of progress has been made over the years, Barbados was still “very much behind” when it came to achieving inclusivity and equality for vulnerable groups.

“Yes, we need to have growth and economic development, but you also need to put in place policies that focus specifically on persons who are more vulnerable,” he told participants at the opening of a workshop for people with disabilities, at the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Centre.

Stating that authorities needed to be more intentional in ensuring the protection of vulnerable groups, Humphrey said while Barbados had ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since 2013, legislation and other policy measures were still missing.

However, he reported that the policy was recently completed and draft legislation has been approved by Cabinet, and was before the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

“I hope before the end of the financial year, to take to Parliament legislation that will protect and empower persons with disabilities and recognise their rights in this country. It is very much overdue. I hope to be able to do that very soon,” he said.

Adding that the legislation will be accompanied by “a whole set of action plans”, Humphrey added: “So, yes, we have been able to achieve a lot, but we have to do more.”

“I would like to get the disability legislation by the end of March 31, 2024. I would like to have the draft legislation for the elderly, at least to Cabinet, again, by the end of the financial year, and that would make me very happy.

“I would like to debate the Child Protection Policy by the end of March; however, it is revised as a result of this consultative process now with the Select Committee. These vulnerable groups cannot wait for us to over-intellectualise policies, legislations and programmes that make sense for people. We will make the changes where necessary but we have to implement, implement, implement,” he insisted.

Humphrey agreed there was a need to include people with disabilities in every aspect of development, including use of technology.

“It means that from the beginning, as we do our algorithms and so on, we have to include persons with disabilities from the get-go,” he said.

In her presentation, President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled Kerry-Ann Ifill highlighted the lack of planning for people with disabilities in the development and use of certain technologies, saying it was often frustrating.

Pointing to the difficulties of using an Automated Teller Machine as one example, she said for those who were blind, deaf or in a wheelchair, it was difficult to simply “exist in today’s digital environment”.

She was hoping the workshop would help parents and guardians learn more about the available tools to help them bridge the digital divide.

Ifill said while it was important to acknowledge the work that was being done for people with disabilities, there was a need “for us to advocate louder, longer, harder . . . . We need to encourage the Government, the private sector and civil society; all of the stakeholders that have a part to play in today’s society”. (MM)