Dear Editor,
PWD (Persons Living with Disabilities) in Guyana are in an unprecedented era. The current PPP/C Administration has gone the ” extra mile ” in ” normalising ” everyday living for this once marginalised and even despised group. For example, continuing a slew of investments, as recent as January of this year, there was the ” sod-turning ” exercise for the planned G$194,472,570 Cummings Lodge facility, “… a landmark project in the country’s educational landscape and the commencement of construction on Guyana’s first dedicated School for the Deaf.”
Mind you, this salubrious move “… comes amid broader efforts by the Ministry of Education to strengthen educational access for deaf learners (a sub-group within the PWD fraternity). As for the general details, this necessary institution “… will be designed to accommodate 30 learners and will provide a nurturing environment that supports deaf culture while advancing specialised learning.” I add that under these ‘broader efforts’ from the Guyana Government, and as per the 2026 National Budget, the sum allocated to invest in Persons with Disabilities includes $316.5 million for specialised education and training, plus a one-off GYD$50,000 grant for over 27,000 beneficiaries.” By the way, when all is said and done, this will mark Guyana’s 50th Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) space, indeed reflecting continued progress in inclusive education and a policy that is non-discriminatory, but conversely, quite holistic and all-inclusive.
No wonder then, that at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights preparatory debate in Istanbul, Türkiye, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, was able to proudly reaffirm his government’s commitment to “… advancing the rights and empowerment of persons living with disabilities, outlining an ambitious national agenda that includes job creation, expanded social support, and inclusive infrastructural development.” Subsumed under the theme and resolution titled, “Inclusive Social Development for All: Parliamentary Strategies to Promote the Rights and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities,” held in Istanbul, Türkiye, McCoy waxed lyrical, emphatically noting that “… Guyana remains firmly aligned with its international obligations, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
He elaborated most succinctly that “Guyana reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the promotion, protection, and full realisation of the rights of persons with disabilities … (adding that) “… disability inclusion is both a human-rights imperative and a prerequisite for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development.” Evidence of what McCoy echoed is the fact that “Five years ago… in 2020, there were only 13 recognised Specialised Education Needs and Disabilities spaces across the entire nation… now it’s up to 50.”
I must point out too, and as the Minister clearly spelled out, that this kind of unfolding is not ad hoc, willy-nilly politics at work. The country is mandatorily guided by a “… strong legislative and institutional framework, anchored in the Persons with Disabilities Act 2010, and supported by constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.” Simply put, the PWD contingent is guaranteed its rightful place by virtue of the Constitution of Guyana. This is a ‘rights-based’ approach and not intermittent acts of benevolence.
For example, the ‘Right to Gainful Employment’ is a focus of the PPP/C Government, as there are strategies in place for creating at least 5,000 jobs for persons with disabilities over the next five years. These translate into the Government’s investments in skills development, entrepreneurial financing, and the removal of structural barriers to employment.”
Editor, putting this into the global framework, the United Nations focuses on ensuring people with disabilities are not left behind in development targets, particularly in education, employment, and reducing inequalities. Overall, around 15 per cent of the world’s population, or an estimated 1 billion people, live with disabilities. They are the world’s largest minority, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). How about a 2003 study by Rutgers University? This found that people with physical and mental disabilities continue to be vastly underrepresented in the US workplace. One-third of the employers surveyed said that persons with disabilities cannot effectively perform the required job tasks. The second most common reason given for not hiring persons with disabilities was the fear of costly special facilities. (Dixon, Kruse, Van Horn, 2003).
However, and consistent with Guyana’s direction (in terms of investments), companies are now reporting that employees with disabilities have better retention rates, reducing the high cost of turnover. Also, thousands of persons with disabilities have been successful as small business owners, according to the US Department of Labour. The 1990 national census revealed that persons with disabilities have a higher rate of self-employment and small business experience (12.2 per cent) than persons without disabilities (7.8 per cent). (US Census of Population and Housing, 1990).
No wonder then, during the Christmas season of 2025, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced a major policy shift, requiring that every new Government project dedicate at least 10 per cent of its space to supporting persons living with disabilities, thus ensuring that persons living with disabilities benefit from equal treatment, dignity and meaningful inclusion nationwide.