01/04/2026
NCD Reports at Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance – National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-up Meeting under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
The National Commission on Disability (NCD) Legal Advisor, Ms. Collette Marks, LLB/LEC, facilitated the Commission’s presentation, underscoring achievements under various Articles of the CRPD.
Attorney Marks highlighted the NCD’s achievements in keeping with Article 8 – Awareness-raising, including public education and combating stereotypes through the dissemination of information on the NCD’s website and social media platforms.
The provision of continuous technical support to improve accessibility of infrastructure and information for Persons with Disabilities also formed part of Attorney Marks’ presentation. Additionally, accessibility inspections of 30 government and private service providers were completed.
Statistics from the Commission’s National Household Survey on Persons with Disabilities database (16,470 individuals) were also presented. Updates were provided on Articles 9 and 12–31.
Notable achievements of the Ministry of Health included improved occupational, speech, and physiotherapy services across the regions, with trained therapists now available.
• The establishment of the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation in Region 6, which provides employment opportunities for 120 Persons with Disabilities.
• The distribution of free hearing aids, canes, and wheelchairs in outlying regions by the Ministry of Health was also highlighted.
Hon. Gail Teixeira, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and Chair of the NMRF, provided opening remarks and reiterated Guyana’s commitment to working with Persons with Disabilities to enhance their quality of life. The importance of statistics was also underscored by Minister Teixeira.
Also in attendance were Dr. Ariane Mangar, Director of Disability and Rehabilitation Services (MoH); Mr. Brijraj Ramsroop, Deputy Executive Secretary (NCD); Dr. Keon Cheong, ACEO (MoE); and other officials from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Guyana Prison Service, Ministry of Natural Resources, Central Housing and Planning Authority, and Constitutional Rights Commissions, among others.
