The National Commission on Disability (NCD) today launched its Building Accessibility Handbook. The launching took place at the Ministry of Health’s Head Office.

The Handbook on Building Accessibility is designed to drive Guyana towards greater inclusivity, and will serve as an important guide to policy makers, architects, engineers, contractors, industry leaders, and other persons engaged in the construction industry.   

Chairman of the NCD, Ganesh Singh said the Handbook is intended to make the building environment accessible to persons with disabilities. He said physical access remains a challenge here in Guyana despite the country’s wealth of resources. 

“We as a developing country and with a government that is providing a lot more opportunities for persons with disabilities, we are seeing more persons with disabilities, a significant number having access to tertiary education, having access to employment opportunities, having access to training – vocational skills training. What this says, it says they will possess the qualification and skills to be employed. But there is a challenge, many of the places that would employ these individuals or would like to employ these individuals are not accessible,” the NCD Chairman said.

The Vice President of NCD, Vidushi Persaud said the handbook is being launched two days after the world united to celebrate the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, and it is intended to take action to ensure greater inclusivity. 

“Accessibility is not a favor nor is it a luxury. It is a fundamental right. It is a declaration that every step that we take as a society should leave no one behind. This handbook is more than guidelines, it is a compass that would guide us all, policy makers, architects, planners, families, communities towards creating spaces and systems where inclusion is not the exception but it is the rule,” Persaud said. 

She said accessibility is not just about the installation of ramps but the creation of a pathway towards greater dignity for all. 

 “I’m reminded that accessibility isn’t just about the ramps, the accessible washrooms, the elevators, it is about opening doors to opportunities, it is about leveling pathways to dignity and breaking down the barriers that prevent us from building a society where everyone regardless of ability can thrive,” the NCD Vice President said. 

Director of Disability and Rehab Services, Dr Ariane Mangar, in providing an overview of the handbook, said it is not merely a guide but a declaration of the country’s commitment to creating a society where accessibility is a right and not a privilege.

“In our diverse and swiftly progressing nation like Guyana, as you see everywhere you look, there is construction. So, every individual deserves the opportunity to participate fully in their community life regardless of their ability. Yet, for too long there has been barriers, physical and systemic, which have prevented equal access for persons with disability. So, this handbook is more than a set of guidelines, it is a blue print for transforming our built environment,” Mangar said. 

She said the handbook provides important tools, and addresses critical issues such as universal access, the need for accessible buildings and improved communication and access for persons with disabilities. 

Mangar said the tools are intended to dismantle barriers and provide solutions.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony was presented with a copy of the Building Accessibility Handbook, which he sees as an important milestone for the country and a step in the right direction.

“One of the things that the Commission has also started to do using a number of consultants is to do a survey, try to get as accurate as possible, how many persons are living with disability around the country and not only how many persons, but the type of disability, where they are located, and by understanding that we would then be able to, whether it is from the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Social Services, better able to tailor our services to address the needs of persons in these various communities,”  he said. 

The survey on disability has been completed and the report is being finalized.

Minister Anthony said the stats provided in the report will influence policies and decisions by both the Government and the private sector. 

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