BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - MEMBERS of the St. Kitts-Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities (SKNAPD) has been dealt a huge blow after five computers - among other items - were burgled from their computer lap located in the McKnight Community Centre.
In an interview with SKNVibes, President of the SKNAPD, Anthony Mills spoke of the items which were stolen from the Community Centre.
“We just opened a computer lab in the back on Thursday (Jul.17) and somebody broke in their sometime between Saturday evening (Jul. 19) and Sunday morning (Jul. 20). They stole five computers, a TV, and a Nikon camera with a zoom lens on it. So we are appealing to the public now if anybody heard anything contact the police or contact me.
He added that the computers were a donation by the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) in order for Association to conduct training for people with disabilities.
“The reason we got those computers from the SIDF is so that we could conduct training to people with disabilities and without them, we pretty much stuck in the water. “
Mills explained that the incident is now a huge setback for the Association and valued the stolen items at approximately $8,000 USD. and made an appeal to the public to come forward in they have any information about the robbery.
“I want to appeal to the public to do the right thing; if they have seen or heard anything, my number is 6639077. You can call me or call the police. We have not even used them yet today would have been the first day we actually start to use them.”
Mills believes that the burglars entered the building through the front door, which has a faulty doorknob.
Highlighting some of the planned training, Mills said “we were to be doing graphic design Microsoft office. The Jaws software on them are there so that people who are blind can use the computer. Without that computer, we cannot train those who are blind. The Open Book software allows the computer to read to a blind person and allows the person to acquire the knowledge that is in the book. We can’t function without them”.
The Association’s President called on members of the public to try and make a donation to the re-acquisition of the equipment, thereby enabling them to commence the training.
