Motions

WHEREAS section 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Chap. 1:01, guarantees the right of the individual to equality before the law and protection of the law, the right of the individual to equality of treatment from any public authority, to the enjoyment of property and to the freedom of movement;

AND WHEREAS the Equal Opportunity Act, Chap. 22:03 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and places a duty on public authorities to ensure equality of access to services and facilities;

AND WHEREAS persons living with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago continue to face significant barriers to full participation in national life, including but not limited to limited access to employment opportunities, inadequate housing and infrastructure, insufficient educational access and resources, and the continued inaccessibility of public buildings, processes and operations;

AND WHEREAS these barriers result in social and economic exclusion, contrary to the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Constitution and the Equal Opportunity Act;

BE IT RESOLVED that this Senate call upon the Government to table in Parliament, within the next twelve (12) months, a comprehensive national strategic plan, inclusive of a legislative framework, to eliminate these barriers to social and economic exclusion, thereby enabling all persons to participate fully in public life with dignity and independence.

(By Senator Alicia Lalite-Ettienne)