As Trinidad and Tobago marks its 63rd year of Independence in a few days, the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) has issued a call for stronger legislation and inclusive development to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in national life.
In a statement, TTBWA says it joins the national community in celebrating the milestone, noting that while independence granted the nation the freedom to chart its own course, “true independence will only be achieved when every citizen—regardless of ability—can participate fully, equally, and with dignity in the life of our nation.”
The Association is urging the Government to enact specific, comprehensive legislation aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities.
The proposed legislation, according to TTBWA, should ensure that all national policies, procedures, and services incorporate a disability component that guarantees accessibility and equitable participation. It must also promote universal design in products and services through consultation with the disability community, and ensure full inclusion and accessibility in areas such as education, employment, healthcare, transport, housing, and cultural life. Additionally, the Association stresses the need for compliance mechanisms to enforce accountability.
Referencing the national watchwords “Discipline, Tolerance, and Production” the Association said these values remain as relevant today as they were in 1962. It called for justice and equality through discipline, inclusion through tolerance, and national development through the participation of all citizens, including those with disabilities.
TTBWA also highlighted the importance of the national motto, “Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve,” stating that aspiration without inclusion is incomplete, and achievement without accessibility leaves many behind.
Executive Officer of the TTBWA, Mr. Kenneth Suratt, emphasised that protecting the rights of persons with disabilities is a constitutional, moral, and international obligation.
“As we celebrate 63 years of Independence, let us commit to a vision of a nation where independence is real for every citizen,” Suratt said. “Accessibility, equity, and inclusion must become the pillars of our national development strategy if Trinidad and Tobago is to be truly free, just, and sustainable.”
TTBWA reaffirmed its commitment to working with Government, civil society, and the private sector to help create a Trinidad and Tobago that reflects the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and sustainability.
“Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind,” the statement concluded.