Seven persons with disabilities gain jobs through MSUT programme in Antigua

Antigua and Barbuda: Seven disabled persons were employed through an MSUT initiative in Antigua and Barbuda. The achievement came as a joint endeavour of the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation and the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Persons with Disabilities (ABAPD).

The announcement was followed by a Facebook post on the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation’s official page. The employed people are members of the Disability Association.

In this regard, the ABAPD President Bernard Warner showed appreciation and thanked Minister of Social and Urban Transformation, Rawdon Turner, for championing the initiative while acknowledging that this is a culmination of 2 decades of efforts in this direction to secure employment opportunities for the people with disabilities.

Warner had expressed this request to Minister Turner soon after he assumed office. Although the final results took some time, Warner recognised that seven individuals have since been employed and are enjoying the weekly salaries.

According to the post, the employment has been wide-ranging, “The employees are engaged in areas such as seed propagation, landscaping, hydroponics, aquaponics, and horticulture therapy, creating opportunities for meaningful work, skills development, and greater independence.”

This aligns with the country's larger goal to secure climate-resilience and adapt accordingly along with sporting inclusivity. The ABAPD president revealed that discussions are already underway with officials responsible for the Job Experience Programme to create additional opportunities for young people with disabilities.

Videos of a beneficiary, who is a Member of Disability Association, expressing gratitude for the job opportunity with the Ministry Programme has surfaced online after the official release on the Ministry’s page. He said, “I haven’t stopped smiling since up to now. Every week I receive my paycheck, I’m really proud about it.” Another member, namely, Nevelyn Noel also said that she feels really “grateful” and has managed to buy a refrigerator for herself with this job.

This recent development has been tagged a landmark from the governance point of view in Antigua and Barbuda towards disabled persons with netizens majorly praising the right step.