The Bahamas National Council for The Disabled demonstrated to the House of Assembly  yesterday  that the House is not disable friendly. 

This became patently  obvious after a wheelchair bound woman had to be assisted up the stairs of the House of Assembly.

Shadow Minister of Social Services and Community Development, Glenys Hanna- Martin said this  appeared physically exhausting and even treacherous. 

She said, “we cannot be passing legislation in this parliament, imposing standards on everyone else in the country and the parliament itself is not being compliant. 

“So,  I think it’s a mandate that must happen and a matter of urgency that it happens  because we are putting those standards on the wider public and the parliament  itself which passed  the law is not itself showing that it has responded in a favorable way.”

Mrs. Hanna- Martin also stressed the need for such access to for beyond public spaces.

She  said  that she would also like to see this expansion of access in housing and employment and more and more opening the window of possibilities to persons with disabilities.

She also said, “ I want to support the work of the leadership that’s here and to urge all of us to ensure that that access is not just a ramp or  an  elevator,  but it is an access to that opens new doors for the human experience of persons with disabilities in The Bahamas.“

According to Social Services Minister Lanisha Rolle, at  the most recent Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians  meeting, it was recommended that it be considered how  feasible it is  to erect a lift in the House, the Senate or both chambers.

This is to ensure that disabled persons in The Bahamas also have easy access to these proceedings.

Currently the the Ministry of Social Services has 200 registered clients with the Disabilities Commission and 194 clients that they service on a daily basis through the disabilities affairs division.