KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former President of the Senate, Floyd Morris, has suggested an affirmative action approach to ensuring increased employment for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Senator Morris, who was opening the debate on his own Disabilities Week motion, said that the action should involve both public and private employers.

“I believe that we need to seriously look at some form of affirmative action in terms of employing persons with disabilities, in both the private and public sectors,” he told the Senate today.

Morris said that it had been tried and has worked elsewhere, and has left models that Jamaica could pursue to increase employment opportunities for PWDs.

He pointed out that there is already a national policy for PWDs, which speaks to the reservation of five per cent of jobs in the public sector for these people.

“Whilst I can tell you that the state is the largest single employer of persons with disabilities, it is nowhere near the five per cent quota that we are talking about, and that is a matter that we seriously need to examine,” Morris said.

Responding, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Ruel Reid, said that he was “truly moved” by Senator Morris’s presentation.

“We feel your passions and please be assured that we are with you as we seek to provide opportunities for all our disabled Jamaican brothers and sisters,” Reid said.

He added that there was no lack of concern or willingness to engage in dialogue with representatives of the disabled community.

“Indeed, I don’t think that there is really any lack of will on either side to implement programmes that would redound to their benefit,” Reid said.

He added that Jamaica was among the first countries in the world to sign and ratify the United Nations Conventions of PWDs, in March, 2007. He said that successive governments since have taken steps to ensure that the convention is observed not only in words, but also in action.

Senator Reid suggested that the society review how it deals with both mentally disabled people, as well, with equal concern and in policy formation.

Disabilities Awareness Week was celebrated this year in Jamaica between December 4 and 9, under the theme “Inclusive Information Communication Technologies: The Way to the Future”.

Senator Morris said that the week allowed time for the nation to reflect on the challenges, and focus on empowering people with disabilities through employment.

Balford Henry