Equal treatment needed

The National National
Raphael Otoase (right) is a person living with a disability. He is employed by Curtain Brothers and, as part of his job, he is required to be at the Cheshire Disability Centre, Port Moresby, daily working as the gardener and grounds man. Wayne Kapil (seated) has a physical impairment and visits the Cheshire Centre daily for meals. – Nationalpics by JOY OLALI 

A PERSON living with physical impairment calls on the Government to properly address the needs of persons with disabilities (PWD) in the communities so that no one can be left behind.
“We PWD’s need to be included in the decision-making processes of our country, we need to be receiving equal services like education and employment so that no active citizen of the country is left behind,” said Western Highlands, Organisation for Disable Persons chairman, Peter Rumints.
Speaking during the International Day of PWD’s celebrated in Port Moresby on Sunday, Rumints stressed on some daily challenges that are faced by PWD’s that are not properly addressed by the Government.
“The challenges we face every day is real, for instance, a person on a wheel chair cannot get up to a second floor building if there is no elevator available.
“Schools need to have care providers for PWD’s and employers must consider our abilities for employment,” he said
“We need laws that will allow us to move and live within our environments and feel included,” Rumints said.
The theme of this year’s International Day of PWD’s is to unite in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for, with and by PWD’s.
A dedication ceremony was held in Port Moresby’s Holiday Inn hotel on Sunday gathering more than 50 PWD’s with their caregiver, government representatives and non-government agencies to commemorate the day.

Sri Lanka-PNG Friendship Foundation president Panditha Bandara (blue shirt) with the Sri Lankan community presenting goods, money and other essential items worth over K30,000 to the Cheshire Disability Service. – Nationalpics by JOY OLALI

Rumints further stressed on the draft Disability Bill 2018 that is still pending review in parliament.
“The main purpose of the Bill is about an inclusive approach to make sure PWD’s are taken on board and our needs and interest are captured in national decisions,” he said.