The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE Persons with Disabilities - Equal Opportunities Bill 2014 was tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday with Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin heralding the move as “the dawn of a new day”.

Speaking to parliamentarians, Mrs Griffin said the tabling of the bill not only brought the Christie administration closer to fulfilling one of its campaign promises, but it allowed progress toward protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.

The minister said she looked forward to the early passing of the bill and its enactment which will affect around 10,000 disabled people in the country.

“There were many long and lively discussions in the process of drafting the bill,” she said in the House of Assembly. “Some strong views were presented from various sides. Naturally there was some disagreement and some issues on which compromises had to be reached, but through it all, there was the commitment to get the job done for the benefit of a large segment of our population who over these many years have been ostracised, disfranchised and often treated like second-class citizens in their own country.”

Mrs Griffin lamented the plight of the disabled and explained that members of the community are “often blocked from sidewalks and left on bus stops by uncaring drivers.”

She added that it is hard for some disabled people to find appropriate housing, to get insurance and even get a basic education.

“Today we stand at the dawn of a new day, a brighter day for persons with disabilities in the land of their birth,” she said.

The bill is expected to establish rights for the disabled, a National Commission, address issues of education, a development fund and exemptions and incentives for the disabled among other things.

Resources and Education for Autism and related Challenges (REACH), a non-governmental organization (NGO) which advocates on the behalf of autistic children, lauded the government for tabling the bill.

REACH President Mario Carey commended Mrs Griffin saying the bill could not have come at a better time.

Mr Carey said: “When this bill is enacted into law, it will change lives in so many meaningful ways. I commend the government, and especially Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin, for recognizing the value of every human being, regardless of physical, mental or emotional challenge, and hope they pass and enact this legislation with a sense of the urgency it deserves. This is an exciting and historic day for the Bahamas.”