The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Ageing and Disabilities is planning to deliver several activities designed to promote societal awareness of persons who are blind and partially sighted, thereby, changing the perceptions amongst sighted individuals.
This was according to Mrs. Marecia Browne, Coordinator – Disability Services within the Ministry on the May 10th Edition of Infocus. She highlighted an activity in Guyana where Government Ministers walk certain areas in the country while blindfolded. This, she said, will be replicated in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“The Ministry is preparing to do the same thing here on May 19 and we already have the buy-in of a couple of ministers, as well as persons in society. They will start from different points in Basseterre at different times,” said Mrs. Browne. “Each person will walk a short distance blindfolded [using a cane] to see how it is to maneuver through the streets of Basseterre.”
Mrs. Browne noted that each blindfolded individual will be accompanied by either a blind or visually impaired person, as well as a sighted person.
Another activity slated for this year to bring awareness to issues faced by blind and partially sighted persons is a blind dinner experience. Mrs. Browne said that the room will either be dark, or persons will be blindfolded or both.
She noted that other initiatives will also be implemented in 2023, to get the public involved.
“We have consultations and workshops that we want to carry out throughout the rest of the year. It is not just going to be tailored to persons who are blind and visually impaired but other persons with other types of disabilities,” she said.
Mrs. Browne said that the Ministry, and by extension the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to work to ensure that persons who are differently abled are empowered and can lead productive lives.