Dear Friends and colleagues:
Over the past 47 years, the Caribbean Council for the Blind has worked assiduously to improve issues related to eye-care in our region. We remain committed to this mandate and to the purpose of our organisation “Preventing blindness & visual impairment; while restoring sight and creating opportunities for persons whose sight cannot be restored”
As 2015 commences, I take this opportunity as your President, to share a few developments with you, as it is the commitment of our executive to ensure that our members are informed on the most critical issues facing persons who are blind or visually impaired.
Vision 2020 “The Right To Sight”
Over the past 5 years, we worked closely with: The European Commission and SightSavers in the implementation of a programme to advance Vision 2020 “The Right To Sight” across the Caribbean. We have provided scholarships to 13 Medical Drs to become Ophthalmologists. We also funded a 4-year Bachelors Of Science in Optometry at the University Of Guyana. In 2014, the programme graduated its first batch of 22 Optometrists from 3 countries across the Caribbean.
The regional Vision 2020 programme trained almost 14 hundred primary health care workers in primary eye care techniques. Under the initiative, more than 15 health care facilities have been upgraded to include enhanced eye health services.
The actions have led to the dramatic expansion of eye health and blindness prevention services to tens of thousands of persons who did not have access to eye care previously.
Last year, we begun development of a partnership with the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. If consummated, this partnership will bring screening for Diabetic Retinopathy to persons with Diabetes, in 5 countries in the Caribbean; and laser therapy to persons at risk of losing their sight to Diabetic Retinopathy.
During 2015, the Caribbean Council For The Blind & Visually Impaired is determined to facilitate increased cataract surgical rates; While supporting the increased use of glaucoma surgery to control a condition which leads to permanent blindness.
World Braille Day
January 4th has been designated as World Braille day in honour of the creator of this most critical writing style by Mr. Louis Braille; who was born on this date in 1809 in France. The World Blind Union’s press release reminds us of the work to develop Braille and calls our attention and support for the ratification of a most critical treaty which will benefit all persons who are print disabled. Our francophone colleagues may also view this release here. The Treaty of Marrakech is an internationally legally binding commitment for all documents produced in an accessible format in one territory to be shared with partners in other countries who have also ratified. We estimate that 1 in every thousand children of school age (in the Caribbean is blind, requiring Braille to read text; while 3 in every thousand are severely visually impaired, requiring large print to read normally. I therefore urge our members to press their respective Governments to look favourably on ratification of this treaty in 2015.
Unified English Braille Code
As I’m sure many of you are aware, the Braille authorities have come together to establish a new Braille code. With national education programmes for children with visual impairment in 13 of 15 CARICOM states; The UEBC has the potential to impact on us in this region significantly as many of our Braille documents are produced in either the UK or North-America. To this end, these countries are gradually phasing out both the America Literary Braille Code and the British Braille code and by 2017 at the latest, all documents produced in either country will be created using the UEBC. With the exception of the Nemeth Math code which will still be used in the USA, Braille production will be transformed.
We in the Caribbean must also work towards ensuring that we are ready to embrace the change when it comes. I encourage all persons who work with Braille – whether as teachers or readers – to take advantage of opportunities to learn the new skill. The Hadley School for the Blind with the support of the American Printing House is offering a free 6 lesson transition course in 2015. I would wish to suggest all of you to take advantage of this opportunity by visiting the above website and registering for the programme. This is a most important prerequisite if the Caribbean is to make meaningful strides toward achieving education for all children with visual impairments.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The CRPD continues to impact on the lives of persons with disabilities worldwide. To date, the convention has been ratified by eight countries in this region with four having signed but not yet ratified. There are more than 180 thousand persons with blindness or severe visual impairment in the English-Speaking Caribbean. We must continue to work with our respective governments and fellow organisations of pwds in our various territories to not only ratify but to implement this critical convention. 2014 saw Jamaica passing their legislation for persons with disabilities joining Guyana as the only other English-speaking country in the region to have done so. Other countries are reported to be working on similar legislation and we hope that these will come to fruition in 2015.
We must also offer most sincere congratulations to His Excellency Dr. Aubrey Webson – former executive Director of CCB – on his elevation to the status of ambassador to the United Nations for his country of Antigua and Barbuda; when one of us is recognised in such a way it is yet another opportunity for us to be inspired as our society understands that our visual challenges by no means diminishes our capacity to make significant contributions to our countries, our regions and (indeed) the World.
CCB Matters
Turning our attention to matters directly under CCB, 2014 saw our secretariat relocating to our new home, The Blackburn Building, Holberton, St. Johns, Antigua. Our new telephone number is 268-736-7401.
The building is being retrofitted to serve as: Our regional office and the National Vision Centre for Antigua, providing support services to the network of eye clinics established by The Caribbean Council For The Blind & Visually Impaired, in collaboration with the Government and people of Antigua & Barbuda.
Conclusion
We in the Caribbean are standing at the cross-roads of development for persons at risk of losing their sight and (more fundamentally) for persons who are blind or who have significant visual impairment.
We face many struggles in our countries – financial, educational and infrastructural as well. We must however not be daunted by what lies ahead, but rather, use these challenges as opportunities to demonstrate that, persons with blindness or severe visual impairments, are members of our societies, with the right to sight and or all the opportunities available to everyone else.
Let us therefore use 2015 as a year in which we increase our effort to empower those of us who live and work with visual challenges.
I take this opportunity on behalf of the: Membership; Executive, the CEO; Staff and all our development partners, to wish all of you, A very blessed, happy and positive 2015.
I remain your dedicated President
Kerryann Ifill (Senator)