Acting chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health and Environment, Dr Earl Wright, stressed that the exercise would begin to erode the discrimination the blind and visually impaired face when seeking employment.

Speaking at the media launch at the Jamaica Society of the Blind, Conrad Harris, its director of programmes, urged persons to get registered.

Demographic information

Harris, who is also blind, said the registration project would provide agencies and stakeholders with demographic information required to secure funding for programmes.

"For this to work, it requires a great deal of effort from the blind community and family and friends as well as the general public," the programmes director explained.

Project coordinator, Major Desmon Brown, received more than $2 million in funding from the CHASE Fund and Jamaica National Building Society Foundation to facilitate the project.

Kingston Lions Club past president, Karl James, said he was excited about the opportunities the project would provide for the estimated 23,000 blind people across Jamaica.

"Many of the blind in Jamaica live a life of subservience," he said. "Training and modern technology offer many blind persons the opportunity to become self-sufficient and productive members of society," James said.

Registration will begin tomorrow at health centres islandwide and will run for four consecutive weekends - Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, call toll free 1-888-429-5000.