President of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) Marilyn Rice-Bowen is pleased that drivers will now only have to produce a medical certificate at age 75 in order to renew their licence.
Rice-Bowen said that due to BARP’s advocacy, the Government made changes to the relevant legislation to allow senior citizens from age 75 to 85 to provide medical certificates every two years to get their driver’s licence.
From age 85 onward, senior citizens will be required to provide medical certificates annually in order to access a driver’s licence.
“That is BARP working for you. So, seniors, you can pick up your grandchildren, go and do your shopping, feel free to fulfil your medical appointments, drive to church because the church is important,” Rice-Bowen said as she delivered remarks at BARP’s 28th Anniversary Church Service, Dunamis Outreach Ministries, Stable Grove, Christ Church, on Sunday.
In May 2021, BARP presented a proposal to the Government highlighting the need to amend the legislation which required drivers reaching the age of 70 to, on an annual basis, produce a medical certificate to the Ministry of Transport and Works to prove that they are suitable candidates to be driving on the island’s roads.
“We not only said it, but we joined with the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), and they presented the evidence to strengthen our case, and our case was accepted,” she said.
Noting that BARP pledged to continue to amplify issues affecting its membership, Rice-Bowen also disclosed that the Association recently met with the Barbados Bankers Association (BBA) following complaints from members that despite having the necessary collateral and prerequisites, they were being denied loans due to their age.
However, Rice-Bowen said BBA denied the allegation and advised that BARP secure necessary information from members who present with such complaints, giving the assurance that reports would be investigated.
“In June, you would remember we filed a six-page affidavit as we lent support to our intervenors on the Fair Trading Commission with reference to the Light & Power rate hearing. That is still a matter in progress, and we anxiously await what is going to happen.
“But when you get back home and you read today’s newspaper, you will realise that the light bills have gone up, so that’s a different story. BARP is also in constant talks with the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs as they are drafting legislation to protect seniors from abuse.
“We have partnered with the Bar Association, BAMP, and BBA and will very soon commence lobbying for the implementation of the durable power of attorney into the laws of Barbados, which lets seniors name someone as an agent to make decisions about their care if they are not able to do that themselves,” Rice-Bowen said.
While delivering the sermon, Pastor Carlos Brathwaite applauded BARP for its outstanding work to protect and preserve the rights of the elderly. He preached that while senior citizens were among those who face discrimination in Barbados, “thank God we have BARP representing us, and we give them commendation today”.
“But over and above, BARP represents those of us who are aged, and I place myself in that category; there is somebody higher and greater than BARP who represents us, and there is no discrimination with God because we are old. In our country, we tend to discriminate against those who do not hold the same perspective of life that we have.
“Thank God that we have moved away from those earlier days when persons who were physically disabled were kept hidden. But we are learning to understand better that God can use anybody and everybody; this is the message that I want to communicate to us when I speak on whosoever,” Pastor Brathwaite said.
(AH)
