At the first National Community-Based Rehabilitation conference in Region Five yesterday, differently-able persons were assured that the legislation to address their rights and needs would be tabled in parliament before the end of the year.
Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told the gathering which included members and volunteers of the Community-Based Rehabilitation Programmes (CBR) in Region Five and representatives from the Regional Administration that he would keep his commitment to have the bill passed.
He said that $3M was set aside for the construction of a CBR building on a plot of land that was allocated by President Bharrat Jagdeo at Lovely Lass Village.
Minister Ramsammy added that he had been saving one day’s pay every month from his salary towards the building and that it has amounted to $350,000.
Chairman of the National CBR Committee, Gregory Glasgow said the conference is now being held in all the regions instead of only in Georgetown “to promote the programme more.”
He said they have also decided to have the conferences in the communities so that persons can understand the challenges that disabled persons and their families face. That way, he said members of the community can help to find solutions so that persons with disabilities can “have greater participation economically, socially and politically…”
Glasgow said too that the community has to help to create an enabling environment so that persons with a disability can realize their full potential. He said that they “must be able to attend school and get an education and a skill so they can gain employment and economic status.”
