PNP Disability Fund to boost testing for conditions like autism – Daley
The People’s National Party (PNP) has reiterated that it will establish a National Disability Fund from the Consolidated Fund and will amend the 2014 Disabilities Act to give legitimacy to the Fund.
Opposition Shadow Minister for Gender, Disabilities and Inclusion, Denise Daley, said this will be done in the first year of the party regaining State power. She elaborated on a commitment first given by PNP President and Opposition Leader Mark Golding during his contribution to the Budget Debate in March.
Daley was speaking last week in the House of Representatives as she made her contribution to the 2025-2026 Sectoral Debate.
“We will also appoint a Board to oversee the Fund, which will be specifically designated for supporting the disabled through educational and other initiatives,” she stated.
The Member of Parliament for St Catherine Eastern said a future PNP Administration will make sure that the disabled community is informed on how to use the Disabilities Rights Tribunal which is set up to deal with complaints of discrimination and other breaches of the Disabilities Act.
Daley told her colleagues that the assessment testing for persons with disabilities is woefully inadequate. “The waiting list for testing is so long that some children will transition out of the educational system without ever being tested,” she said.
“When we form the next government, we will partner with the Ministry of Education to boost testing capacity and improve access to testing across the seven regions of the Ministry of Education”.
Continuing, Daley said, “There is also the matter of testing for disabilities that are not immediately visible or observable. This includes mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
“And what about developmental disabilities such as autism,?” she queried.
An educator, Daley said research must be done to identify the most effective approach to addressing the complex needs of individuals with autism.
“Testing for disabled children will help us create individual education plans that cater to their specific needs,” she said.
