THE Senate yesterday acknowledged the observation of World AIDS Day, as well as next week’s celebration of Disabilities Awareness Week.

Government senator Floyd Morris, himself disabled, said next week will be observed as Disability Awareness Week, and asked the Senate and the wider public to support activities planned for the week.

“We are kicking off the week’s celebration with a church service in St Mary at the Port Maria Anglican Church and, from there, we will be going into a number of activities recognising individuals that have given sterling contributions to the disabled community, and recognising the talent and abilities of persons with disabilities in Jamaica,” Morris said.

He was supported by Opposition senator Prudence Kidd Deans, who shared his views and noted that the opposition looked forward to participating in the various activities.

But, president of the Senate Syringa Marshall Burnett sought to tie in the celebration of Disabilities Week with yesterday’s observance of World AIDS Day.

“It (AIDS) is a disease that can disable everyone, and I am using this forum to say to you, that you are to protect yourself from every kind of disability,” the Senate president said in a statement, which she directed specifically to young people.

“If you want to carry out the vision of what the government and the opposition in the chamber have also reinforced, it is your responsibility to take care of yourselves and to take care of your peers. I urge you to listen to the message today and next week, and all those other messages that speak to the necessity for healthy lifestyles to prevent yourselves from having problems that will make you disabled.

“On the other hand, I also urge you to be very aware and sympathetic to those persons who may have any kind of disability – physical, sensory or otherwise – and to be very sensitive to their needs and to facilitate and help them, not only this week or next week, but throughout life,” said Marshall Burnett.

Her comments were endorsed by Opposition member, Senator Christopher Tufton, who remarked that the president’s comments were quite pertinent and relevant in terms of the AIDS epidemic being a serious disability in any society.

He said that in Africa and the Caribbean, the disease had seriously undermined lifestyles, including personal family life, as well as productivity and competitiveness in terms of the entire well-being of the society.

“The implications are so great, that I believe it is important for all of us to consistently send the right signals about the significance of this epidemic and encourage all those we come in contact with to do the right thing: not to discriminate where there are cases that exist. And, hopefully, through our utterances and our own behaviour advance an example indicative of our role,” Tufton said.

Earlier, Government senator Kern Spencer, in his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate, expressed alarm at the continued spread of HIV and AIDS in Jamaica and across the world.

“Without a doubt, this debilitating malady has serious consequences for development and the advancement of people everywhere,” he said.

He also called for full support of the anti-discrimination programmes, and other media messages targeting the youth and urging them to practise healthy lifestyles.