Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, is calling for more to be done this year with respect to issues related to persons with disabilities, the elderly, gender, and children, although he is pleased with the progress made over the last two years.
Mr. Humphrey made this clear last week, as he addressed the start of the public lecture entitled This Is My Story, delivered by Senator Andwele Boyce, at the Grande Salle, Tom Adams Financial Centre, Church Village, St. Michael.
Urging those gathered to become partners with the Ministry as it tries to push for change, he outlined how this was going to be very important in 2024.
“The truth is that we still have a fight because a number of our employees do not want to hire persons with disabilities. Our policy recommends a quota that persons should have to hire, but we know that persons should be able to do that of their own free choice.
“And, we would rather have like voluntary compliance than be forcing persons to be able to do that. But hopefully, these are the kinds of things we need … and I look forward to what this year has in store for all of us and I look forward to having a better Barbados for persons with disabilities,” he said.
While also listing some achievements over the period, Minister Humphrey stated: “I believe that we have done, now, a policy on perhaps all the important things in the Ministry – disabilities, the elderly, gender, and children. We are working on the legislation…. We’ve done all of that important work, and…now there’s more conversation…. You know, we’ve just finished the Budget, and the Estimates Debate, and for the first time, I think you’re getting more conversation around social issues than you actually are around the economics of the Budget.
“And even though we may have differing views, the fact is that people are talking about it [social issues]. And that, in itself, I think is a victory because people were not talking about these issues in a central way for a very long time.”
Mr. Humphrey also expressed satisfaction with the work done earlier by the team, led by Chair of the Advisory Committee on Disabilities, Edmund Hinkson, that began “the conversation to look into the rights and improving the lives of persons with disabilities”. He noted that the draft legislation was now with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and should soon be debated in Parliament, this year.
He further pointed out that persons with disabilities stood to benefit from the increase in the Budget, in terms of access to the National Insurance Scheme.
“We’ve given it to more people. Fifty per cent for children now; autism is going to be able to access it and persons with Down Syndrome. In fact, any person who’s severely disabled is going to be able to access that financing…. I just feel like we’re doing a lot of good things,” he shared.
However, the Minister noted that beyond all the statistics, policies, programmes, and numbers, it was necessary to hear the story of a person with a disability.
Referring to Senator Boyce’s presentation, Mr. Humphrey stressed: “I think what is going to drive policy and what’s going to drive change and what’s going to move the hearts of people, is actually the story – the authentic, genuine story of a person who has lived a life with a disability and who can share that perspective, in an honest, open way.
“And that is what this session is really about. And I believe when this story is properly told it will move the audience, but it will allow us to move policy. And those of us who have very good stories inside of us, which I really believe is all of us, we are duty bound to share those stories with the next generation, so that they can understand the struggle. But more importantly, so that they become part of the process of change. And, I believe that in listening to Andwele tonight, we will be in a position to better do that.”