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Gaico Construction Inc. donates wheelchair bus to Disability Commission
The Ministry of Public Health will be advocating for the acquisition of wheelchair buses in order to help address the transportation woes experienced by many persons with disability. This is according to Minister of
Minister George Norton (second from left) is given a demonstration of the functions of the wheelchair bus.
Public Health, Dr. George Norton, who disclosed he will be making representation for funding for such vehicles to be funded in the 2017 national budget.
“I hope that it will find favour in next year’s budget,” said the Minister yesterday.
His remarks came as he received, on behalf of the National Commission on Disability (NCD), a wheelchair bus from Gaico Construction Inc.
The bus is valued at US$6,000 and is expected to ease the work of disabled employees of the Commission who are tasked with travelling around the country, to help raise awareness about the disable population.
The need for the bus was recognised by Managing Director of Gaico Construction, Mr. Komal Singh. Singh also happens to be an NCD Board Member. “Because of my affiliation I got to know about the need of the Commission and I thought that at some point in time we must get it fixed,” said Singh.
He said that Ms. Simone Poole, an employee of the Commission, who happens to be differently able, is required to use a wheelchair to get around. She has had many challenges doing so. “Whenever she goes around we have to physically put her in a car and put her wheelchair in the back…So we thought that it would be a good initiative to at least get a wheelchair bus,” Singh added.
At a simple ribbon cutting ceremony at the Commission’s Croal Street, Georgetown office yesterday, Minister Norton commended Gaico Construction for the donation even as he pointed out, that disabled persons in the society have for too long been deprived of a suitable transportation service.
“Gaico Construction must be commended for this gesture…We have taken for granted, for too long, the situation of our differently able persons in our society,” asserted the Minister, yesterday.
And it is his expectation that other private companies will emulate the move by Gaico Construction. “It is an excellent way to show that you care for the Guyanese society. We hope that we will have other companies give support particularly to the differently able community in Guyana. Some companies have already been giving their own support in different ways,” observed Minister Norton.
He anticipates that similar donations will be forthcoming to help improve the operations of disable facilities even outside of Georgetown. He pointed out that there are currently facilities in New Amsterdam and Essequibo that could benefit from donations too.
The Minister named Cheshire Home for the disabled as one of the homes that can benefit from immense corporate support. The Home, according to the Minister, has a need for 25 wheelchairs.
The Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre also has similar needs, the Minister said. “There is so much need for these wheelchair vehicles; we hope that this would become a norm,” said the Minister who also appealed to building contractors to incorporate ramps in the construction of buildings.
“This is so important in the context of our architectural designs,” added the Public Health Minister.
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