Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy has renewed his call for the private sector to increase its employment of differently-abled persons.

A press release said Ramsammy made this call during a visit to the Open Door Centre, which government has been working to equip with instruments that would assist persons living with disabilities to function effectively in the workplace. The students suffer from a range of disabilities including hearing, visual, physical and learning challenges.

The minister said the private sector is a critical partner in ensuring that students at the Section ‘C’ Sophia centre are gainfully employed after undergoing training.

The centre, located in the Sophia Health Centre, offers courses in sewing, craft, information technology, electronics, carpentry and plumbing. Ramsammy was pleased to report, based on demonstrations of work in the different departments, that the students proved their capabilities in exercises such as installing electrical devices for visually impaired persons; installing cubicles in the computer room and repairing a water pump for the centre.

Centre Manager Lewis Arthur said many of the graduates are employed in the private and public sectors including at the Statistical Department of the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital and at Banks DIH. Meanwhile, Information Technology (IT) instructor Donald Cole is teaching a batch of ten students basic IT skills to work in the office since they would be sent on attachment after completing the course.

Ramsammy said he is hopeful that donors and other partners would consider helping the ministry to build more centres countrywide. He said, “We all have equal rights whether you are differently-abled or not