Saint Lucia yesterday stood in solidarity with the global observance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWD), emphasising the 2024 Theme: “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.”
The commitment to the leadership of persons with disabilities is embodied in the powerful slogan of the global disability rights movement: “Nothing About Us Without Us.” This phrase underscores the non-negotiable necessity for participation, representation, and inclusion-demanding that individuals with disabilities actively shape their own lives.
On the home front, Minister for Persons with Disabilities and Crime Prevention, Jeremiah Norbert, commended Prime Minister Philip J Pierre for establishing a specialised Ministry dedicated to PWDs, ensuring the unit receives the attention and care it rightfully deserves. He also recognised the vital groundwork laid by the Department of Equity that has fostered significant progress in this area.
“In 2020, Saint Lucia signed and ratified the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and we have since taken decisive action to implement its principles,” he conveyed during a media briefing this week.
With the establishment of a dedicated Ministry overseeing this sector, Minister Norbert declared, “We are committed to creating a robust National Disability Policy.”
The minister asserted, “This is the first time we are giving this level of significance to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.”
Minister Norbert affirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities are fully integrated into society.
In education, he stated, “We have expanded the Scholarship Programme to guarantee that Persons with Disabilities have equal opportunities to succeed.”
Furthermore, he announced, “We are establishing a Disabilities Registry and collaborating with CARICOM, various national agencies, and an Indian company to provide prosthetic limbs at no cost to those who cannot afford them.”
Additionally, he confirmed that the government has approved the relocation of the ministry to a facility designed to be “disability-friendly,” ensuring better accessibility.
Importantly, authorities are actively restructuring the national building code to mandate that all new constructions meet the needs of people with disabilities.
A mini concert and public display were held at the Derek Walcott Square in Castries, yesterday featuring predominantly PWD performers as part of the Day’s observance.