Visually impaired woman loses phone during PTA meeting

Mar 20, 2014 News

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– GAVI calls incident “extremely insensitive”

The enactment of the Disability Act in 2010 was seen as a breakthrough for those who have long been fighting to ensure that the rights of differently able people are not only recognised but also legally legitimised.

In fact according to Senior Member of the Guyana Association for the Visually Impaired (GAVI), Leon Amsterdam, the passage of the legislation saw heightened anticipation that the existence of those with varying forms of disabilities would have become easier. Amsterdam, during an interview with this publication yesterday, disclosed that the legislation had brought with it the expectation that there would be more camaraderie and sympathy towards the differently able faction of the population.
But according to a visually impaired Amsterdam, “it has gotten worse, particularly as it relates to blind people. I am now asking how safe are we?” He was at the time alluding to a recent situation which saw the visually impaired Stacey Greaves, a Rehabilitation Assistant attached to the Palms Geriatric Home, encountering a rather unfortunate situation.
According to Amsterdam, while Guyana has over the years been able to develop a reputation for being hospitable this was certainly not the experience that Greaves was given.
Last week Wednesday while attending a Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) meeting at the St. John’s College, Greaves was subjected to treatment that has been described by Amsterdam as “extremely insensitive.”
Greaves, who is also a member of GAVI, intimated during an interview with this publication that while she had attended a number of PTA meetings over the years it was the first time that she was made to feel vulnerable. She recalled that the meeting was in fact one intended to facilitate the elections of executives of the PTA. The meeting, she recalled, started at 16:00 hours and concluded about one hour later.
The woman recalled that during the course of the meeting she had used her Alcatel cellular phone, which has a special talking feature, to call her daughter who was at lessons at the time. The phone is valued at no more than $8,000.
At the end of the meeting, Greaves said that she got up and proceeded to use her cellular phone again. “I remember holding the phone in my left hand because I was about to call a taxi but then I felt somebody jam me and the phone fell out of my hand,” the woman recounted.  Interesting to note though, Greaves said that she did not recall hearing the phone hit the ground.
Greaves said that she immediately cried out “my phone” in anticipation that the person who hit her had already secured the phone and was prepared to hand it over. That never happened leading her to believe that the “jam” was not an accidental occurrence. “I actually felt the person walk pass me…I know it was an adult,” added Greaves.
“I did not expect anybody to jam me…” the woman noted, even as speculated that it wasn’t at all impossible since there was a rather large gathering at the PTA meeting. She however disclosed that “I remember somebody bracing me on my right when I was about to leave…it felt unusual but I thought that maybe it was because the place was so crowded and everybody was trying to get out.”
Recognising Greaves’ plight, another parent approached her and volunteered to help look for the phone only to be informed that the phone hadn’t fallen to the ground. Immediately the Head teacher of the school was informed after which she instructed that the school’s gate be locked. Greaves is convinced that while the person who took her phone might have exited the building, they could not have left the school yard before the “lock down.”
However, efforts to recover the phone by dialling the number proved futile as by then the phone was turned off.
Greaves, who has grown accustomed to doing her shopping and other activities independently, intimated yesterday that the situation has left her deeply concerned about her safety. In fact she is now questioning if she drops her purse if persons would be willing to lend a helping hand.
“Now it is hard for me to go down town shopping on my own…I am so fearful because I had this mindset that I am blind and I don’t think that anybody would take advantage of me; anything can happen,” she pondered.
And according to Amsterdam, while the situation emphasises a daunting situation in the society, it can in fact impact the way outsiders look at Guyana. “When one reads of an incident like this what are we saying to them; our tourists and investors?” questioned an evidently concerned Amsterdam.

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