Dear Editor,
The Government of Guyana through the Ministries of Education, Health and Human Services and Social Security, has committed itself to the development of policies, programmes and activities that will empower and protect persons within society who are deemed to be vulnerable or socially disadvantaged. This includes persons with disabilities.
This means that many Guyanese with disabilities are given the opportunity to achieve independence and lead active, productive lives with the assistance of rehabilitation therapy. Estimates indicate that half of this country’s population will at some point in their lives need assistance in overcoming some form of physical, mental, emotional, or social disability.
National Rehabilitation Week 2008, therefore seeks to recognise not only the individuals who have learned to cope with their disabilities but also the dedicated health care professionals as well as the vocational trainers who have provided assistance through research, education, and therapy.
This year’s theme is “Bringing quality back to life.”
It is my view that rehabilitation is a goal-oriented and time-limited process aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain an optimum physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric and/or social functional level, thus providing them with the tools to change their lives towards a higher level of independence.
I also feel that an effective rehabilitative service to persons with disabilities is critical in order to achieve and sustain their optimum level of independence and functioning.
It also helps in the inclusion of disabled persons and helps them to unlock their potential to contribute to the community.
All of us know someone who has benefited from reconditioning, strengthening, retraining or recovery following trauma, surgery or accidental injury. This is what rehabilitation is all about, enabling people to resume life in their own communities. It brings quality back into the lives of persons with disabilities.
This is where vocational training comes in.
As a vocational trainer of persons with disabilities, I have observed that such training often benefits people with disabilities who currently work or are likely to work in the informal economy as self-employed persons and micro or small entrepreneurs. This aspect is important, given the size of the informal economy in Guyana.
Disabled people – like non-disabled people – have diverse skills, abilities, capacities and interests. Their occupational capacities are not linked in the first instance to their disability type.
I feel that there should be more programmes and projects to incorporate persons with disabilities into the labour market as a form of affirmative action which would make a great difference to the practical effectiveness of employment policies for people with disabilities.
Yours faithfully,
Irwayne Saul
Craft teacher
Open Doors Vocational Training
Centre for Persons with Disabilities
