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

Morris, who was opening the debate on his own Disabilities Week motion, argued that the action should involve both public and private employers and suggested that the society must review how it treats both the mentally and physically disabled.

“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 on Friday.

He said that the approach has been successfully implemented elsewhere, providing models for Jamaica. Further, Morris 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 persons.

“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.

He also called for increased training in sign language, and suggested that this should be extended to include Management Institute for National Development, which trains government employees.

“A critical portion of persons with disabilities are persons who are deaf, and the public service must become more responsive to the needs of these individuals. And we have to make sure that we train the management in the public service as to how to relate to these individuals, especially when they come to seek employment,” he added.

He said that the world has been transformed significantly due to the advancement of modern technology.

“There is no doubt that the technology is a major transformative tool for persons with disabilities in the field of employment and education and training. But, I tell you, it is extremely expensive…I want to strongly urge the Government to make some funds available on an annual basis for persons with disabilities who are studying at the tertiary level, at the primary level or at the general education system and are employed, to make sure that they get the requisite technology,” he appealed.

In response, Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid, said 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 will 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.

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

Disability Awareness Week was observed 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.