As the Government moves to build a computerised database of all disabled citizens, Minister of the People Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh says a $11.5 million multi-dimensional centre will be constructed to help disabled people.
During a consultation held with over 22 organisations representing disabled people at the Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre in Couva yesterday, Ramadharsingh said the centre would provide diagnostic screening, psychological support, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and auditory assessment, auditory rehabilitation services, vision assessment, training of multi-disciplinary staff and counselling for families of disabled people.
He also said social workers would be trained to work at the centre, adding that all interested parties could communicate with chief technical officer Angela Edwards to make proposals. Quoting from the 2000 census, Ramadharsingh said a total of 4.1 per cent of T&T's population was living with visual, mobility, hearing, movement, speech, behaviour, and learning disabilities. He said the statistics of the 2011 census would be used to build the new register.
But several people who attended the consultation told Ramadharsingh proper research must be done before the centre was built. Sharda Ramlakhan explained that different disabilities required specialised aid. She also questioned whether the centre would have special facilities for children, saying early intervention screening and diagnosis were needed for children.
She also called on the Government to provide assistance to children suffering from autism. Tessa Pascal, who represented a group called Persons Associated with Vision Impairment (PAVI), said schools were not meeting the requirements of disabled people and more training needed to be done. Ancil Torres, of the WR Torres Foundation, based in Washington DC, said legislative changes needed to be made to end discrimination against disabled people.
He explained that the Equal Opportunity Act did not protect them from discrimination. Torres also called on the Government to provide copies of the Disability Act so the affected people could have an input in the legislation. Ramadharsingh then arranged to have weekly consultations with the group. He called for a consolidation of all groups and promised that once the centre was established assistance would be sought from international agencies such as Volunteers of America.