It is frustrating and disheartening when I read about everyone else getting what they want, important or frivolous, and disabled citizens are not getting their basic needs met. Disabled people were promised a raise in the disability grand and were also promised they would automatically receive a food card. None of these materialised. Pensioners who have had their whole lives to make something for themselves have received a whopping $1,150 increase in one budget. Many pensioners also have working children to help them.
Disabled people have practically nowhere to access physiotherapy, nowhere for socialising etc. The elderly have centres across the country with free programmes than include swimming, manicure, pedicure, martial arts, dance. Couldn't these centres include the disabled?
A disability centre was promised in three years' time. Couldn't this have been priority over a couple of other things? In the meantime couldn't we have services offered to the disabled in perhaps the community centres in each district until the centre is finished?
How many hundreds of schools were built over the years for 'normal' people to access education, from nursery to university level? How many disabled people cannot get into a school because there are too few? How many YTEPP buses are there? As far as I was informed none of these buses have ramps for wheelchairs.
Come on people, the disabled are citizens too, and are entitled to as decent life just like everyone else. They need schools transportation, recreation, physiotherapy which includes water therapy, etc. And for the heartless who think that disabled people should be quiet and go unnoticed, may I remind you that their relatives also pay taxes just like you, they are not begging charity. And one more thing, most disabled people brains work just fine, it is just that their arms and legs don't cooperate. Maybe also just like some 'normal' people whose brain don't cooperate.
Sharon Joseph
Point Fortin