NASSAU, The Bahamas – The regional representative appointed to the Working Group of the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on the Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday, July 21 applauded Bahamas Minister of Social Services and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin for the enthusiasm and passion she has demonstrated in improving the services for the disabled.
Senator the Hon. Floyd Morris, who also serves as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in Jamaica, told Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Perry Christie during a courtesy call that he was heartened to come to The Bahamas and see that she has been making moves to improve the services and has even established a committee to put legislation in place to protect the rights and dignities of the disabled.
Senator Morris assured Prime Minister Christie that he and Minister Griffin will continue to work together ?as much as possible to improve the services available to persons living with disabilities across the region.
Last year we had a conference in Jamaica where we were trying to develop a unified disability policy within the region, focusing on the disabled, and she was there with her team, said Senator Morris. Out of that meeting, a number of decisions were taken and I am heartened to come here and see that some of those decisions have been put in place with regards to persons living with disabilities.
Senator Morris said the Government of Jamaica and its Ministry of Social Security stands ready to assist The Bahamas in whatsoever ways are possible regarding the implementation of additional policies, initiatives, programs and services that will positively impact the lives of persons living with disabilities in The Bahamas.
He said the Government of Jamaica has been introducing services for the disabled over a period of time and have some best practices, which would be good to share with the people and the Government of The Bahamas.
Senator Morris said he recently held discussions with Minister Griffin regarding the tremendous success of an Employment and Disabilities Fair that was held in Kingston, Jamaica, that showcased the skills of persons living with disabilities among private sector employers.
He said another objective of the fair was to create further opportunities for persons living with disabilities which could further improve their standard of living.
That was a tremendous success and it is my belief that (the fair) is something that can be replicated here to show the general public that the Government is sensitive and concerned about matters pertaining to the disabled, said Senator Morris.
Senator Morris, who went blind in 1989 at the age of 20 after developing glaucoma while in High School five years earlier, said organizations, ministries and Governments when dealing with disabled groups – must have a love and passion for the people they serve.
Love and passion must not be confined to just able-bodied individuals but all peoples, said Senator Morris, and I think that once you have people with the spiritual conviction of Minister Griffin, who is committed to the Christian Faith, directing the Social Services that touch – what one Member of Parliament would say Those from the Womb to the Tomb – I am certain that you would see tremendous progress.
Minister Griffin and I will be working together as much as possible to improve the services right across the region for the disabled, Senator Morris added.
Prime Minister Christie assured the regional U.N. Representative that his Government will do everything possible to ensure that the rights of persons living with disabilities in The Bahamas to share in the country’s resources are protected and advanced.
The Prime Minister said the Government began the trek towards achieving that objective three years ago when he decided to create a ministry separate and apart from one that had before been a department or an appendage to another ministry, to bring focus to the broad area of social services and to ensure that the Bahamian people, from an institutional point of view, focused on it.
Mr. Christie told Senator Morris that Mrs. Griffin was selected to head the Ministry of Social Services and Community Development because of her Christian faith.
I felt that if she, by her own convictions, understood the admonition in the book of Matthew that, “whatever you do for the least of thy brethren, you do for Me” that I could rest assured that we would have a messenger who would not only take the message, but act upon it because it is a conviction she shares, Mr. Christie said.
