Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 30, 2017 (S.T.E.P.) -- Fire Officer Mr Livingston Guishard and Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) staffer Mrs Diana Pemberton were on Wednesday November 29 among able-bodied members of the public who got a first-hand experience of how people living with disabilities get through in everyday life.
Mr Guishard who is a fire officer at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport was blindfolded and walked on the busy Fort Street in Basseterre where he needed assistance to find his way out. Mrs Pemberton who is also a member of the St. Kitts Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities (SKNAPD) was put in a wheelchair and had challenges manoeuvring it in the streets.
The two were among scores of people who joined members of the St. Kitts Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities (SKNAPD) based at McKnight Community Centre and who are sponsored by the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) who took part in a SKNAPD-organised ‘Walk in my Shoes’ march along the streets of Basseterre.
“We do this walk in an effort to ensure that people become aware what is going on with people living with disabilities,” explained Mr Anthony Mills, President of the St. Kitts Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities.
“We ask the public and private sector to join with us. This year we had again Mrs Pemberton from the STEP Office using a wheelchair because she would be able to share her experience on how she feels, rolling in a wheelchair for the duration of the march and we had a couple of people who were also blindfolded and walked with us in the march.”
Most of the persons with disabilities who took part in the march were participants of the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP) who receive their training in computers and arts and craft at the McKnight Community Centre. There were also officials of the St. Kitts Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities who took part.
“They (STEP trainees) take it well because they realise what it was all about and why the march was important,” explained Mr Mills. “So they were willing to give up that little bit of time to come and be part of the march because of the importance and the significance of it.”
He further explained: “They were able to showcase to people that even though they may have a disability or they may have an impairment they are still able to do the things that everybody else do and so they did not have a problem coming out here and march.”
The march which was led by a police patrol car with its strobe lights flashing, started at the West-Line Bus Terminal, and they walked eastwards along the Bay Road before going up Fort Street, turned westwards on Cayon Street, and walked down Church Street passing outside the Government Headquarters. They got back on Bay Road walking eastwards and at the old cinema hall they walked toward the Independence Square where they were addressed by Mr Mills.
“My experience using the wheelchair was challenging because I am accustomed to use my feet,” observed Mrs Diana Pemberton: “Every time I would come to a stop and I was tempted to put my foot down to assist myself with the wheelchair, I had to remember I cannot move my legs. So that was challenging remembering that I can’t use my legs.”
According to Mrs Pemberton the experience was good even though her shoulders were sore a bit. She described it as being a good and a humbling exercise.
“I now have a greater appreciation of persons who are living with disabilities to see what they go through daily and how their plight is in terms of travelling via wheelchair,” said Mrs Pemberton. “It is not as easy as walking taking steps. It is a process and you have to know how to manoeuvre and use the wheelchair so that you do not tumble over.”
Fire Officer Mr Livingston Guishard, explained that he allowed himself to be blindfolded by Mrs Mary Nurse-Clarke, Secretary of the SKNAPD, so as to experience how blind persons feel.
“It isn’t a good feeling,” said Mr Guishard. “I won’t want that to happen to me. I always sympathise with people with disabilities. I always feel that those of us who are able to see, and are able to walk should do more for people living with disabilities.”
Assistant Secretary of the SKNAPD Ms Travia Douglas said the march was quite educative and thanked all those able-bodied persons who joined them with blindfolds, or in wheelchairs or with their ears plugged to stimulate the different impairments that people living disabilities face every day.
“This morning it was good but next year we will make it bigger and better,” said Ms Douglas. “It always feels good when people who are able-bodied join us to see how it feels and they can go out and tell other people their experiences, as they will not only know how it feels but they will also have a little insight as to how we go about on a daily basis.”
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