In 2017, I wrote the letter below which was published in the Island Sun newspaper and circulated world-wide via Google.
I resend the letter with one or two updates and would hope I can please be told of the situation regarding the numbers and needs of the disabled in the Solomon Islands today.
The Acting general secretary for the Solomon Islands National Council of Women and vice president of People with Disabilities Solomon Islands Casper Fa’asala announced last week that there are more than 60,000 people in the Solomon Islands suffering from disabilities.
Mr. Fa’asala made his statement during the launching of the Public Solicitor’s clinic for people with disabilities.
The SIBC carried a bulletin of Mr. Fa’asala’s announcement from which I quote:
“The number of people with disabilities in Solomon Islands is estimated to be more than 60,000, with many caused by preventable situations.
“Mr. Fa’asala said the number was high, and the number of the population living with disabilities in the country was increasing.
“Traffic accidents, chronic health conditions, disease, poor working conditions and a lack of safety equipment have been identified as the main causes.
“And these people are often in poverty because of their disability,” he said.
“Mr. Fa’asala said it is saddening to note that some cases involving people with disabilities have not been attended to by the responsible authorities.
“Mr. Fa’asala commended the Public Solicitor’s Office for establishing the country’s first legal clinic for people with disabilities.”
I would also like to express my own appreciation to the Public Solicitor’s Office in creating a legal clinic to address the concerns, needs and rights of people living in the community with disabilities.
The Solomon Islands must seek to reduce all barriers and to increase opportunities for its people with disabilities, to ensure their full participation in society.
If the Solomon Islands Constitution does not yet provide a strong legislative framework that guarantees the equal rights of people with disabilities then urgent steps should be taken to bring the Constitution in line with other countries that have such guarantees.
I would go further to suggest, if not already provided for in Solomon Islands statutes, that there should be an Employment Equity Act and a Policy on the Duty to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Solomon Islands Public Service.
The Solomon Islands, to the best of my knowledge, is yet to support the protection and promotion of the rights for people with disabilities through the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The Convention if ratified
protects the rights to equality and non-discrimination of persons with disabilities;
explains the types of actions countries should take to ensure that rights are enjoyed by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others;
calls on States Parties to ensure non-discrimination for persons with disabilities in a variety of areas, including freedom of expression and opinion, respect for home and the family, education, health, employment and access to services.
End of quote.
Note the SIG has still not ratified the Convention mentioned.
I have written to a representative of the MHMS to request information on the type and nature of diseases referred to by Mr. Fa’asala impacting on disabilities in the hope that working through the New Zealand based Charitable Trust, ‘Take My Hands,’ I might be able to offer assistance with equipment to aid the recovery of persons with diseases or illnesses that could eventuate in disability or acquire mobility aids to help those with walking difficulties.
My partner charity in NZ did indeed sent 6 x 20 foot and 2 x 40 foot containers of hospital equipment and medical supplies, hospital beds crutches, walking frames, wheel chairs, hospital furniture, mattresses, bed sheets, etc, totaling a value of S$40,475 for the fully loaded containers.
Of the S$40, 475, the MHMS contributed S$20,500 and the SFA donated the balance following an appeal.
Also Swire Shipping sent a fully loaded container of hospital needs for free.
As I write, the important aspects of help for the disabled, those hundreds of ex-NRH amputees awaiting artificial limbs for them to regain their mobility and independence haven’t changed.
This is despite the gifting of a modular building to the NRH last September following my appeal, once more, for local help. The SFA again kindly and generously responded to the appeal and procured a prefabricated facility overseas and had it shipped and delivered to the NRH.
The prefabricated facility has now been turned into a replacement rehabilitation workshop (replacing the old and now demolished one) but news on its opening and function is still awaited.
I have secured assistance with prosthetic components from Take My Hands and also recommended possible help with prosthetic parts from a registered UK Charity, ‘Legs for Africa’ in the hope both charity organizations could help the NRH speed up the process of manufacturing and custom fitting artificial legs to the awaiting amputees.
It is my current understanding the NRP has only one remaining member of staff able to manufacture prosthetics but that being the case it will be virtually impossible for the employee to make and supply the prosthetics that are urgently needed by so many.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
