The minister of education Ronald Jones has asked the public to help him seek out land for a state-of-the-art facility for Barbadian children with special needs to be built on.
Jones who was speaking at the opening ceremony for the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College in-service certificate programmes in early childhood education, care & development, physical education and special needs education said that some 15 months ago, the Sandy Lane Trust had approached him with the proposal to build the multi-purpose facility.
However, he acknowledged that the inability to find land to accommodate the facility, has kept back the process.
“I am looking for land possibly within a five mile radius of the City Center. So if you have piece that you would want to sell somewhere in the range of three acres we can take it so that we can get on with the Sandy Lane Trust in developing that facility.”
The minister said that he was happy that Barbadians are now embracing the once shunned people with disabilities. He said that these people, who are often talented individuals, played their part in contributing to society.
“There was a time in Barbados when children who were hyperactive, who had polio, and all kinds of things that were hidden in the darkness of our homes . . . couldn’t see the light of day. You were hidden away from feeling the fresh air, thank God those days are over and that all our people are given the opportunity to develop their own special talents,” he said.
