Persons with Disabilities Graduation
(ZIZ News) – The St. Kitts Nevis Association for Persons with Disabilities held a graduation ceremony on Thursday to formally recognize the graduates who completed its computer training programme.
11 persons with disabilities proudly walked across the stage on Graduation Day to receive certificates of achievement after completing training in computer desktop and Microsoft Office, computer graphics design training, and arts and crafts training in making jewellery, bags, key chains and picture frames.
In his feature address, Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris commended the Association for Persons with Disabilities for offering the opportunity to acquire new skills.
“My government therefore commends the St. Kitts Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities for opening doors of opportunity to today’s graduates and further affirming that people with disabilities do not have to be limited by their circumstances. There is no doubt that the training has prepared these graduates tremendously to take on new challenges and seize opportunities,” he said.
The training programme is essentially a part of the People’s Employment Programme (PEP). As such, in his capacity as a representative of the PEP, Osbert Desuza pledged the programme’s continued support to persons with disabilities.
He said “I want to commend you the graduates for staying the course. I want to encourage you to put what you have learned into practice. I also what to pledge the continued support of The People’s Employment Programme to the efforts of the St. Kitts Nevis Association Of Persons With Disabilities.”
Association president Anthony Mills called on persons in both the public and private sectors to help persons with disabilities to establish a better quality of life through employment and other means.
“I know that some of our graduates already have plans and I have a pretty good idea of what they want to do next. They have dreams and a lot of hope but their success depends on the government, success depends on the private sector and their success depends on civil society and their own determination,” he said.
He continued, “We have to know that when persons leave here there can be jobs in the private sector, there can be help growing this programme because this programme cannot function in isolation. It needs everyone on board.”