Dear Editor,
The Guyana Council of Organisa-tions for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) expresses appreciation to His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali for the recent announcement regarding the reform of the banking sector and for encouraging more Guyanese to open bank accounts to facilitate transfers of cash grants. We are optimistic that these reforms will ensure that commercial banks eliminate all discriminatory practices against persons with disabilities.
For too long have persons who are blind have been told that they cannot open a personal bank account because of their blindness or acquire an ATM card due to their disability. Many of these commercial banks justify these practices by claiming that they are following their policies. It must be highlighted that there is no empirical evidence to support such archaic and discriminatory policies, if they do exist. Added to this, many of our commercial banks and their ATM locations are not physically accessible to wheelchair users. However, it must be highlighted that while these are the challenges experienced by persons with disabilities at most commercial banks, there are a few that model inclusion and accessibility by facilitating barrier-free access to financial services for persons with disabilities.
In keeping with Guyana’s rapid development, GCOPD has endeavored to increase the knowledge of persons with disabilities, including young persons with disabilities on personal financial management and available financial services.
With the positive transformation of the disability landscape over the past five years, more persons with disabilities have been able to access jobs, which requires them to have a bank account to receive payment. Furthermore, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security facilitates the transfer of the monthly public assistance grant to personal bank accounts. Therefore, it is critical that commercial banks address discriminatory practices, and implement the necessary measures to ensure that all persons with disabilities can be able to access barrier-free financial services, regardless of their disability type.
GCOPD is pleased to embrace this essential reform in the banking sector and commits to contributing to the reform process as it progresses.