Deputy President of the Senate Kerry-Ann Ifill believes people with disabilities should not be seen as mendicants by the wider society.
She said over the years those with disabilities had often been dismissed as people “to be seen and with nothing to do”.
“[They were seen as] people that were burdens on the society. People that had to be fed, washed and cleaned. None of these things is true,” she said, noting that each individual had value.
However, Ifill said the Ministry of Social Care had introduced programmes of empowerment targeting the disability community, including the welfare-to-work initiative which had been repackaged as the poverty reduction and empowerment programme.
She said no one enjoyed having to depend on the Welfare Department and this initiative gave people with disabilities the opportunity to define their future. (WG)
