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Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre hosts ‘mini-concert’
… International Day for Persons with Disabilities
On Friday, several children living with disabilities were treated to a ‘mini-concert’ and show hosted by the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) under the theme, “ Keeping the Promise; Mainstreaming Disability in the Millennium Development Goals, towards 2015 and beyond”.
Chairman of the PRRC Management Committee, Colonel Randy Storm, told the gathering that many persons do not recognise how talented persons are, whether or not they are living with any form of disabilities.
The large gathering at the ‘mini-concert’ hosted at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre on Friday, last, as International Day for Persons with Disabilities was celebrated.
He said that as concerned citizens of Guyana, society should think of developing ways to assist vulnerable children.
He stated that the country needs to implement a lot of parking spaces and “little ramps” that can assist persons who utilise wheel chairs and other instruments. He is certain that Guyana is “coming on stream” and joining other modernised countries in implementing such initiatives, he said.
The Colonel explained that more can be done to build the capacity of persons as it relates to taking care of affected individuals who suffer from disabilities and urged the gathering to continue “doing the good work” that they are expected to do.
Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who was present at Friday’s function, stated that society often “looks at brothers and sisters with disabilities as someone else’s children” and that persons must accept that “these children are our children”.
This year marks the 10th year he has attended the PRRC to celebrate this occasion and he reassured members of the centre that the Health Ministry will continue to maintain its support in providing proper care for the vulnerable persons in society.
Minister Ramsammy said that about nine years ago, he had promised to develop a law in Guyana that would have been passed in the National Assembly, and he is proud to declare that after many years of ‘hard work’ the Act was signed in November, last, and has now become a law.
He emphasised that providing access to education for persons living with disabilities is included in this new law and that the Ministry is aiming at implementing special audiology programmes in 2011, since “too many children are not learning in schools because they can’t hear”.
The Minister promised to work towards having every child screened for hearing disabilities and providing more hearing aids to them as well.
Even though the law has now been established, Minister Ramsammy explained that he needs to sign the relevant papers (orders) and is currently working assiduously with the Attorney-General to draft the orders as gazetted to ensure that it is “made possible by 2011”.
The Health Minister added that although Guyana is a poor country, society should not accept the idea of not allowing children to benefit from their ‘given rights’ regardless if they are suffering from any form of disability or not.
The concert included a fan-fare by the Guyana Police Force Band, dances, poetry, an acrostic and songs by students of the PRRC as well as teachers.
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