$34 Million Allocated to Improve Lives of Persons with Disabilities

The Government has allocated $34 million to continue its social intervention programmes, geared towards improving the lives of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

This is outlined in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The project, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, aims to strengthen the capacity of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) to identify and target PWDs for social benefits on a continuous basis through the establishment of an ‘Individuals with Disability Database’.

It also aims to improve the quality of life for children with development disabilities, through technical support and early intervention strategies.

For this year, the allocated sum will go towards the continuation of work started in the 2012/13 fiscal year by the disability expert and data collection officer; the training of social workers; increasing the number of persons with disabilities registered with the JCPD to 15,000; raising public awareness to issues of PWDs; and to conduct a study on the needs of PWDs.

The project, which is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), started in September 2010 and has been further extended until September 2013.

By Athaliah Reynolds-Baker, JIS Reporter