Jamaica: PM Andrew Holness assures to provide access to gadgets to disabled children

Kingston, Jamaica: Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, recently addressed the general public and emphasised students with disabilities. He mentioned that the students with disabilities would be provided access to gadgets having voice-over reading and sign language.

Prime Minister took social media and informed the students looking forward to such a revolutionary step. “Learning for children with disabilities has become even more accessible, with hearing and visually-impaired children being able to access reading materials on their tablets and devices, complete with voice-over reading and sign language!” he wrote.

Further, sharing his experience, PM Holness stated that he sat with 10-year-old Nathaniel and 6-year-old Ari as they led him through how they used their assistive learning devices, and it was truly a pleasure to see how immersed they were.

He extended his deepest gratitude towards UNICEF and mentioned, “Special thanks to UNICEF for its continued partnership in securing the future of every Jamaican child.” He added, “Special thanks also to Book Fusion, who have digitised texts with audio and sign language capabilities making learning accessible, fun and equitable.”

In addition to this, Prime Minister Holness outlined the digital revolution and stated that this government does not intend for its citizens to be left behind in the digital revolution.

“We will educate, sensitise and pilot our people through the effective use of technology to improve their lives,” he noted.

He added that the world is changing every day with new technology and new ways of doing business to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

“We must therefore embrace the inevitability of technology and empower our people to utilise it. At the same time, we are acutely aware of the need to patiently guide our senior citizens and other members of our society in this direction while ensuring systems that do not place them at a disadvantage,” further the social media post by PM outlined.

Prime Minister Holness also asserted that no Jamaican would be left behind as the government undergo digital transformation. The Jamaican authority will proceed with the understanding that in many rural communities in Jamaica, cash is still the primary means of payment, and it is what people are accustomed to.

As per PM Andrew Holness, the objective is that every Jamaican will be able to fairly and equitably access digital services and make digital payments should they need to.