Disabilities Bill Gains Support in Senate Despite Concerns Over Targets

When the country’s first-ever Disabilities Bill came up for debate in the Senate last week, it received resounding support. However, there were concerns that some of the targets in the Bill may be overly ambitious. The legislation aims to strengthen protection for persons with disabilities and increase their access to essential services. Minister of Human Development, Dolores Balderamos Garcia, reemphasized today that the government’s efforts to retrofit public spaces and businesses do not include small businesses. She noted that the bill is timely and said its timeline for implementation is reasonable.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous People’s Affairs: “I don’t think the Disabilities Act is overly ambitious. I think it is a bill whose time has come, really, because as a country we must focus on equality and inclusion for all our vulnerable people, especially anyone who is disabled. And so I would not say it’s overly ambitious. For example, businesses would have a whole year in which to make adjustments to their premises for say like a ramp so that a wheelchair can get in there. You know, in transportation, we have to be able to care for our elderly people and people in wheelchairs, et cetera. And basically, let me say this, I’ve said it before but I repeat we’re not seeking to penalize a panades shop for not having a wheelchair ramp. But say a hotel like this that we are at right now, say our government departments, our ministries, our big buildings, our big organizations, a whole year to make necessary adjustments. We’re not telling everybody you have to put in an elevator because an elevator is expensive. But for accessibility, let’s use the downstairs of our premises. For example, the Election and Boundary Department for Belize Rural Central, the constituency that I represent, is on the ground floor of a building so that anybody in a wheelchair can actually get in. So the focus on people with disabilities, including the elderly, is something that is high time, its time has come, and as a country, we now have what you call a road map. We focus on not only elderly vulnerable people but also young people. And a 13-year-old is of tender age. So our ministry is looking very carefully at the fact that such a young person has been detained under the state of emergency. We’re making investigation right now, along with the police to try to make the right decision. At the moment, our understanding is that the child is at the Wagner youth facility, but after our investigation we will see if possibly he would be transferred to New Beginnings. However, as I said to another media yesterday, we have to balance the rights of children with the good of the community. And if even at the tender age of 13 someone is involved in gang activity, maybe have a gun in their possession and that kind of thing, then we have to balance that. But I can assure you that we will try our best to do the right thing in terms of not only the protection of children, but also the protection of society.”

A National Disabilities Commission will also be established to oversee compliance with the laws and related policies that emerge from the Disabilities Act once it is passed into law.