The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe announced his ministry’s plans yesterday to push for more inclusion of disabled people in The Bahamas, with $247,000 budgeted for the initiative.

He said the figure was a major jump from the initial $147,000 that was budgeted.

He said for far too long, the country has not been moving with haste to recognise the needs of the community.

“We intend to get more facilities,” said Mr Wilchcombe. “We intend to call for more public relations to be done. Public relations because we have to ensure that they understand their rights and we have a greater appreciation in our country of the disabled.”

“And the numbers in our country, we don’t know. We’ve gone to some of our islands just to be surprised to find out that there is disabled and we have to find ways in which we can assist and that’s the work we’re trying to do.”

“I want to thank the member for Cat Island, the Minister of Finance, as their budget has gone from $147,000 to $247,000 - an incredible jump in the figures.”

He said his ministry would start its public relations campaign very shortly.

Dr Deborah Bartlett, a veteran journalist, will be assisting in this regard, Mr Wilchcombe added.

He said not enough people know about his ministry’s work.

“We must have more on the media. We must utilise our space more so we’ve asked Debbie Bartlett to join us to help us develop a communications programme that would help us reach more children,” he added.