BY CLEMIA NEELY
Bahama Journal Staff Writer

Bahamians who are lesser abled are benefiting from support from the Ministry of
Social Services, the Chinese embassy and the Office of the Spouse of the Prime
Minister as the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD)
accepted seven wheelchairs, 10 mobility aids, and 14 walking canes from the
Chinese embassy.
Chinese Ambassador, Yan Jiarong, said that China has a population of 1.4 billion
people, and of that 85 million people have disabilities. “And so, China also
attaches great importance to the development and protection of persons with
disabilities.”
She said, “I’m happy today to donate a new batch of assistive devices to the
National Commission for Persons with Disabilities. And this year actually marks
the fourth consecutive year for the Chinese Embassy to make such donations to the
Commission, and we will continue to do so.”
“The deputy to my embassy, Mr. Zhang, is also scheduled to visit Grand Bahama
soon, also to make donations of assistive devices and daily necessities to Grand
Bahama. As we hand over today’s supplies, let us together reaffirm our shared
commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of all persons with
disabilities.”
Wife of the Prime Minister, Ann Marie Davis, thanked the Chinese Ambassador
and her government for donating the items and stated that today’s occasion is not
just a celebration of generosity, but it is a testament of enduring friendships.
“We wanted this to happen on this last day of the month, June 2025, because it falls
in the month of Persons with Disabilities, and we are ecstatic that the supplies
made it here on time for today, because we want to be reminded of the collective
efforts to create a world where everyone has the equal opportunities to thrive for
causes that elevate humanity. And so today, I see it as the result of a call to action
by donating to the Persons with Disabilities Advocacy Organizations under the
umbrella of the National Commission for the Persons with Disabilities.”
According to Minister of Social Services, Information, and Broadcasting, Myles
Laroda, 16 percent of the Bahamian population have some form of disability, which is

just about 64,000. He said that their organization has helped about 2,200 of them,
meaning they still have a far way to go.
“We look forward to spreading the word, but also encourage other countries,
NGOs, and companies to partner with the Office of the Spouse and Social Services
in particular for persons with disabilities to make their lives more enjoyable, to
give them more freedom, and for them to feel that they are a functioning part of
our society.”
The collaboration of the Chinese embassy, the Office of the Spouse of the Prime
Minister, and the Ministry of Social Services exemplifies the spirit of global
solidarity and solidarity here in The Bahamas. This partnership is not only defined
by diplomatic measures and alliances, but by shared vision, shared values of
compassion, empowerment, and vision.
Minister Laroda spoke about his experience at the recent Conference for Persons
with Disabilities that was held at the United Nations, as well as the impact and
outcomes that he achieved by attending the conference.
“The speakers from all of the countries reiterate the need for us to have a more
inclusive society. For us to be sensitive to the needs of those most vulnerable in our
societies because they are the ones that are impacted most in disasters. Whenever
there’s misfortune that is met out on that society,” he said.
“So, you look at Hurricane Dorian, the disabled community was really, really
impacted. I’m not minimizing what has happened to others, but COVID exposed
also that those communities with persons with disabilities are disproportionately
impacted more than the normal society.”
He also expressed the need for funding for equipment designed to help those with
disabilities to be able to function in our society. He said that members of the
disabled community were asking for a bus to transport individuals in the disabled
community.
“Sometimes we think about a disabled person getting a job, but we don’t think
about the cost to get that person to work. So, just imagine if you’re a disabled
person on minimum wage and it’s going to cost you $40 to get to work because of
your equipment. Both ways that’s $80. You won’t work a full week. If you’re
working, you’re working just to travel. And so, you know we have to sensitize the
public to the needs of the disabled community. The government’s position is that
we should have at least 1% of our working population be somebody that’s
disabled,” said Laroda.

Minister Laroda indicated that the seminar showed that we can make special
provisions for our disabled citizens. He looks forward to the day when The
Bahamas will be able to fully assist the disabled community, whether it be kids in
school or the elderly, with the type of service that can make their lives so much
better.