Minister of Energy Clive Mullings (centre) in dialogue with Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, at the launch of an exhibition for World Telecommunications and Information Society Day, at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Library on Thursday. At right is second-year student at the University of the West Indies, Sharmale Cardoza. - Jis
Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, has said special efforts must be made to assist persons who are physically challenged to make use of all the technological aids that make it possible for them to communicate effectively.
Grange said the Government was committed to achieving equity in access to information and records available in all formats, including braille, audio mechanism and sign language.
She was speaking at the launch of an exhibition for World Telecom-munications and Information Society Day at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Library last Thursday.
Drafting instructions
According to the information minister, drafting instructions have been given to all communications entities of the Government to accelerate efforts to make full use of technologies to assist the physically challenged.
Grange also wants the use of sign-language interpreters and closed captioning in television offerings.
She encouraged the private sector to undertake ventures that would enable the physically challenged to be able to use the facilities that exist.
"I take this opportunity to invite our cinema operators to join us in our mission to blaze this next phase of development by making theatres across the island friendly to those with impediments," she said.
Facilitate greater learning
Second-year student at the University of the West Indies, Sharmale Cardoza, who is visually challenged, said that technology has enabled the disabled to communicate effectively and use mediums which facilitate greater learning practices.
"With the development of technology, we (physically challenged) are able to interact with individuals across the world using mediums, such as Messenger, while keeping abreast of issues affecting the world," she stated.
