according to Pile

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Though challenged by limited financial and human resources, the National Commission on Disability is aiming to have in place by this year end, a comprehensive report on the state of disability in Guyana. At least this is according to Executive Secretary of the Commission, Ms. Beverly Pile.During a recent interview with this publication, Ms. Pile disclosed that the report will be based on the findings of an in-depth survey which is already in the initial stages. Attempts, according to Pile, are being made to ascertain not only how many persons are living with disabilities but the specific types as well as the respective needs of such persons.“The vision or intent is to make sure that when we are speaking about persons with disabilities or when we have any sort of activity we don’t just talk off of our heads but we have actual facts and figures.”Based on the country census of 2002, there are 50,000 persons living with disabilities but Pile noted that “I am quite sure that has significantly increased…right now the Commission has to capture what we have in reality.”Once completed, the report, which is expected to guide the way forward for the Commission, will be officially launched.But even as the Commission ambitiously eyes the completion of the report, its work is tremendously hampered by the lack of financial and by extension human resources, Pile disclosed. Although the Disability entity is the recipient of an annual subvention from the Ministry of Health, the finances, she said, are not nearly sufficient to undertake all of the Commission’s outlined plans.This, she revealed, includes sensitisation efforts across the country. The sensitisation undertaking is mainly to raise awareness about the Disability Act of 2010. However, currently such moves have been confined to Georgetown something that simply cannot be allowed since according to Pile, “we are a national Commission so we need to get out there and sensitise persons in the Regions as well.”Nevertheless, the Executive Secretary assured that “we are trying all that is absolutely possible to make sure that the nation understands the issue of disability in Guyana.”Already, efforts have been directed to the health sector with sensitisation sessions being held with nurses of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the St Joseph Mercy Hospital.Similar sessions have also been had with representatives of Labour Unions and another is slated to be held this month as well as another with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The intent of the latter session is to sensitise members of the Police Force about the rights of persons with disability, Pile said.But although the sensitisation efforts have not been as extensive as the Commission would have liked there have been heartening results forthcoming, according to Pile. She observed that through the awareness moves the society has become relatively “disability friendly” as more persons are acting in a supportive manner. “They are definitely having an ear or eye out for them (persons with disabilities) at all times,” stressed Pile, as she noted that this state of affairs has even served “to encourage other persons with disability to come out of the closet. We are now seeing more of them on the streets going around and doing business.”Moreover, Pile is quite satisfied that, although slow, progress is being made in the area of addressing disability concerns in Guyana.