Help the vulnerable this Labor Day, Grange urges

Jamaicans are encouragedold to show love and touch the lives of people who need attention and care on this Labor Day, May 23.

“I want to encourage Jamaicans to come on board, to help your neighbor, to especially help the prisoners, the senior citizens, persons with physical disabilities and persons with intellectual disabilities,” said Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Olivia. said Grange.

Labor Day 2024 is being celebrated under the theme ‘Increase Access… Show You Care’, with a focus on people with disabilities, the elderly and the vulnerable.

Grange said people can help the prisoners and people with disabilities by cleaning their homes, delivering food and doing their laundry.

She mentioned other services that could be offered to the vulnerable, such as manicures, pedicures, massages or taking them for walks.

“It’s important to make them feel like they’re not alone, so it’s also important to just sit and talk with them. Every individual can therefore contribute that day; just to reach out and touch someone,” she added.

Grange explained the rationale for the focus on persons with disabilities and the vulnerable, saying there are concerns about the lack of access for people with disabilities, as well as older people, to services and to participate equally in socially valued goods, opportunities, resources and rewards.

“If people do not have access to buildings or public spaces, as well as social and financial benefits, their rights to association, expression and equality are negatively affected,” she said.

She pointed out that Jamaica’s Disability Inclusion Act of 2014 requires community facilities to be accessible to all.

“So this year we decided that we would focus on accessibility for all, especially people with disabilities, our seniors and the vulnerable, and that their access will be both to physical facilities and to services,” she added.