Call for more disability parking spots

People living with disabilities in Barbados are calling for better access to The City, starting with more designated parking in Bridgetown and financial support to help with essential purchases.

Speaking on their behalf, Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) President Ryan Phillips said persons with disabilities feel excluded from everyday activities such as shopping in the capital.

“The disabled community in Barbados is asking for the government to recognise that they are people too. They want to go to town also and shop, but their concern is that there are only about six parking spaces designated for the disabled community in Bridgetown,” Phillips told reporters at a recent press briefing.

He added that affordability is another major barrier, urging special subsidies to ease costs.

“They are asking the government to look into areas where they would be able to purchase [items] at a reduced cost based on a membership,” Phillips explained.

The CTUSAB president stressed that the call is about basic fairness, not special treatment.

“These people have a right to stand up and say, we the disabled community need to be recognised as people too. We are challenged with the same impacts of ordinary Barbadians. They want to live, they want to support themselves, and they want to be able to take care of themselves,” he said.

Phillips urged the government to give urgent attention to the issue, noting that persons with disabilities continue to face daily constraints that prevent them from fully participating in national life.

(SM)