BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Jan.22.2018 – President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities, Anthony Mills believes that if all goes according to plan with the National Special Needs Policy, it would solve a number of their problems.
He explained that a consultant was in the Federation carrying out work on the initiative and is expected back to finish that plan.
“A consultant was here at the end of last year and is expected by next year, so if what we have seen so far comes up within the policy then it would go a long way in solving a lot of the issues we have,” he stated.
The association has for a number of years called on government and the private sector to assist them with challenges members faced in their daily life, but some have not been addressed.
One challenge facing differently able people in St. Kitts, especially the wheelchair-bound, is the smooth flow through Basseterre.
Mills told SKNVibes that though he supports the implementation of the Traffic or Signal lights, they have decreased the size of the sidewalk.
He pointed to the bottom of Fort Street as one of the difficult areas where traversing Basseterre is a challenge.
“Because of where they would have located them on the sidewalk, it kind of take a little bit away from the sidewalk.”
He acknowledged that it would be very difficult for the government to address that problem currently, as they would have to dig up that area.
Asked whether they have been consulted about the implementation of the signal lights, he said “no”.
“We are always concerned when we are not consulted, even with the best of intentions, sometimes things don’t work the way they’re supposed to work. Probably if they had consulted with us, they would not have put some of them where they put them. They probably would have put them further back or find another alternative to put them in order to not make the sidewalk any smaller.”
However, despite that challenge facing the disabled community, Mills was adamant that the implementation of the lights would benefit the differently abled.
“It pretty much means the same as it means for everybody else. It creates a smoother flow of traffic and makes it easier for us when we have to cross the streets.”
But he noted that some aspects of their complaints have been heeded to, as the government recently installed ramps along the sidewalk for individuals and children what are wheelchair-bound.
That he highlighted, has made it easier for them to get around town.
He indicated that the traffic lights are a “good start” for the country, but a lot more needs to be done.
