Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin said the National Commission for Disability (NCD) has been working diligently on the public’s behalf over the last few months.

“The commission is to work on the public’s behalf and to ensure the enforcement of the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2014,” Minister Griffin said during a meeting yesterday.

With 10 per cent of the Bahamian community being directly affected by the difficulties disabled individuals are faced with on a daily basis, a group of those people saw the need to be the “voice”, “eyes”, “ears” and in this case, the “legs” to stand for the rights of the handicapped people of the nation.

Established back in December 2014, the commission is purposed to achieve equal rights and opportunities for disabled persons across The Bahamas and according to Minister Griffin, the commission is doing just that.

Chief Commissioner of the NCD Decosta Bethell said the commission, although meeting only every two weeks is everyday pushing for improvements to be made that directly affects the disabled community.

“We are currently working on rights as they relate to a number of things,” said Mr. Bethell.

“Rights as they relate to employment, vocational training skills, discrimination by employers, job placement, health care services, housing, accessibility and mobility, public building and parking, public transportation, auxiliary social services, sports and recreation. All of those are listed in the Persons with Disabilities Act 2014 and we will be involved with ensuring that the requirements of the act are put in place.”