A spokesperson for the disability charity is lamenting that persons with disabilities are facing significant challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic in Barbados.
Persons with disabilities were unable to collect their pension due to a number of reasons including not being able to leave their homes because of health conditions, reports Barbados Today.
“The pensions of some members of the community are sent to their bank accounts, some have no access to the money because financial institutions have temporarily discontinued over-the-counter transactions as a result of the pandemic.” said KerryannIfillPresident of the Barbados Council for the Disabled
“Persons with disabilities are unable to access funds through the ATM because they do not have the means to do so” said Ifill
“Some persons with disabilities are pleased that they can go and access their pensions today and tomorrow but others are still at a very big disadvantage. For example, if you are a person whose health is severely compromised and you were urged not to leave home, how do you get access to changing your cheque?
“Provisions were put in place for persons 70 years and older but I didn’t hear what will happen for a person with a disability. Now again, it could be that I missed the announcement, but that is one area of great concern.
“Another area that is of great concern is increased violence and abuse of persons with disabilities. How do you stay safe when home isn’t a safe place? I heard of a situation where there is a family who adequately supplies the needs of their children. One of them has a disability and the institution where he used to go daily give him a food package to take home, but now that schools are closed, how will he get fed?”
Communication is also a matter of concern for us, Ifill said.
“There is also a desperate need for better communication at this time. These are areas that we have drawn to the attention of people before this pandemic, but you know while they weren’t that important before they are vitally important now especially when you are being inundated with information.
