Committee to meet public on disability policy

(CNS): Following the publication of a draft National Disability Policy the committee established to help shape the way forward to a much more inclusive society will be hosting a series of public meetings this month. Starting this evening in Cayman Brac (Thursday 3 April) the Cayman Islands Disability Policy Steering Committee (CIDPSC) will be seeking input and comment on the new document, which officials said aims to raise the standard of key services available to persons with disabilities including healthcare, education, employment and social inclusion. It outlines a need to improve data collection on persons with disabilities to better inform policy and service provision in both the public and private sectors.

The committee is comprised of stakeholders from within the sector and includes those with disabilities. Local businessman, Keith Parker Tibbetts, is the policy’s patron and says their involvement had helped to create a more relevant document.

“It covers all aspects of life for persons with disabilities, and seeks to address the very real challenges that we encounter in our daily lives. With input from the wider Cayman Islands community we believe that we have an opportunity to make the document even stronger,” Tibbetts, who is also disabled, added.

The document’s vision is ensuring that persons with disabilities can live with dignity, are respected, and have the opportunity to participate fully in society. To ensure that members of the public have an opportunity to provide face-to-face feedback and to ask questions, meetings are planned as follows:

Thursday, 3 April, at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre, Cayman Brac
Monday, 7 April, at the Mary Miller Hall, in Red Bay
Wednesday, 9 April, at the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall, in West Bay,
Monday, 14 April, at the James M. Bodden Civic Centre, in Bodden Town
Wednesday, 16 April, at the Clifton Hunter High School Performing Arts Centre

All meetings start at 7pm and refreshments will be available.

For more information or to provide detailed feedback contact:

Robert Lewis of the Cabinet Office on 244-3602 or by email, robert.lewis@gov.ky, or;

Shari Smith, Chair of the Policy Subcommittee of the CIDPSC, on 949-3330 or by, email shari.smith@gov.ky

The document is posted below and to take part in the online survey click here