Yet another Month of The Disabled has come to pass without any legislative framework in place in Barbados addressing all forms of discrimination on the basis of physical and mental disabilities and providing for equal opportunities to be granted as of right to persons with disabilities so that they may have a more realistic chance to realize their full potential.

While the Government of Barbados did indeed finally ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the end of February, 2013, it has woefully failed to do anything substantial over the last year to advance the cause of persons with disabilities.

Furthermore, the Government has cut the subvention granted to the Council for the Disabled by 54 per cent since October last year, thereby placing the quality of life of persons who are the most vulnerable in our society in severe jeopardy.

The Government next week in the Estimates Parliamentary Debate needs to see it as their duty to restore the subvention for Disabled to its pre-2013 Elections level and to actually transfer those sums to the Council.