Caribbean - Situation Analysis

To be used in developing
National Plan for the achievement of 'Education for all Children
who are Blind or Visually Impaired across the Anglophone Caribbean'

Planning for the Period 2010 - 2014

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Prepared by: Frank Bowen and Keva Richards

(This document can be downloaded in pdf format here. )

WHAT IS EFA-VI CAMPAIGN?
The Education for All Children with Visual Impairment (EFA-VI) is a global campaign and program of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) acting in partnership with the World Blind Union (WBU) and endorsed by the UNESCO and UNICEF to ensure that girls and boys with blindness and low vision enjoy the right to education. This campaign and program primarily focus on children in the developing world. The EFA-VI campaign will focus on early intervention and on all preschool and school age girls and boys with visual impairment. The term "visual impairment" used in this campaign includes blind and low vision children and those children who are deafblind or otherwise multiply disabled.

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Officers and Members of the Executive Committee - CCB 2011

In keeping with the provisions of its Constitution, the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB) conducted elections for a new Executive Committee during its 2011 Biennial and 44th Anniversary Meeting held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday July 30th, 2011.

The following persons were elected to the Executive Committee and will serve until the next Annual Meeting of CCB.

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Regional collaboration in the fight against blindness

The Caribbean Council for the Blind/ Eye Care Caribbean and Sightsavers with support from their international and regional partners and the European Commission, hosted a two day meeting at the Hyatt Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad on the 1st and 2nd of December, 2011.

The meeting focused on VISION 2020: THE RIGHT TO SIGHT, the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, and gave persons involved in eye health from across the region an opportunity to learn, share and network, leading to a more cohesive, regional approach to reducing the prevalence of blindness in the Caribbean.

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CCB/Eye Care Caribbean hands over spectacles to Fiennes Institute

St John's, Antigua, Nov 18, 2011

The Caribbean Council for the Blind/ Eye Care Caribbean, on Friday, November 18, made good on its promise and presented spectacles to residents and members of staff at the Fiennes Institute located in St John's, Antigua.

Following an Optometry Clinic held at the Institute on August 22 and 23, thirty-seven spectacles were handed over in a ceremony held on the compound of the Institute.

The Optometry Clinic also served as the first step to increased collaboration with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda as was highlighted by Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer.

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Eye On Sight Issue #3 October 2011

In the October 2011 Issue of Eye on Sight we feature the following articles:

The World is His Stage : The year was 2007 and it was Carnival Time. In the Queens Park Savannah, in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, the Mighty Lingo and his competitor, Black Sage battled for the Extempo Crown. Joseph Vautor-La Placeliere, whose stage name is The Mighty Lingo was filled with pride when he was crowned Extempo Champion, a feat accomplished by only a few. The Mighty Lingo has gone down in the history books of his country as being the only person who is blind to wear the crown. (page 1)

From the Desk of the CEO : July to September has been a very good quarter for us at CCB-Eye Care Caribbean . We were graced with the presence of Lady Floella Benjamin, Baroness of Beckenham, who addressed the Opening Ceremony of Biennnial and 44TH Anniversary General Meetings and presented the James Alves Awards to 12 worthy citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. (page 4)

World Sight Day - Jamaica : The government of Jamaica has pledged to increase its focus on the blind and visually impaired and the disabled community as a whole. This was the commitment given by Junior Minister in the Ministry of Labour, Andrew Gallimore in his address at the opening ceremony of a Health Fair that was hosted by the Jamaica Society for the Blind to mark World Sight Day which was celebrated on October 13. (page 6)

CCB - Making a difference - the Fiennes Institute : The year was 1929, when the then Lieutenant Governor of the Leeward Islands, Sir Eustace Edward Twisleton-Wykeham- Fiennes noticed the number of homeless people wandering about sections of the island of Antigua. Stuck by the hardships being experienced by some citizens he took steps to provide them with a place to sleep and a warm meal. "That's how it all started and it has evolved significantly since then to the point where we are operating a home. This is the Fiennes Institute, so the name came from Governor Fiennes" said Alton Forde, Master of the Fiennes Institute. (page 7)

Download the pdf version here or view the entire newsletter below. Thank you for reading and sharing!

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2011 Annual Meeting of National Vision 2020 Committees

Purpose of the meeting: This meeting will provide a platform for sharing, learning and networking and will strengthen links between V2020 committees and persons involved in eye health: Planning, management or service delivery. Participants will become familiar with perspectives from other areas and will be exposed to new thinking, technologies and opportunities that they can use to benefit eye health service delivery in their countries.

Dates: Thursday 1st & Friday 2nd  December, 2011

Venue: Hyatt Hotel, Port Of Spain Trinidad & Tobago

Participants: Representatives of: Ministries of Health and civil society organizations involved in development of eye health services across CARICOM.

Presentations by Natonal Delegations: Each national delegation is requested to use the national data format, included with this link, to prepare  a 10-minute (or less) address to the meetings.

View the related documents below or download here: 2011 V2020 Meetings Agenda - Days 1 & 2.pdf and Vision 2020 - National data format to be used by national partners in measuring the state of Vision 2020 (The right to sight).pdf

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President's address at the BGM

President of the Caribbean Council for the Blind and the Foundation for Eye Care in the Caribbean ( CCB/Eye Care Caribbean) delivered her address at the Biennial and 44th Anniversary General Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Trinidad and Tobago on July 30th, 2011.

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Kern Tyson's address to the BGM

Kern Tyson, Executive Director of Persons Associated with Visual Impairment (PAVI) presented a brief report on the work done for persons who are blind and visually impaired in Trinidad and Tobago. He made his presentation at the Biennial and 44th Anniversary General Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago on July 30th, 2011.

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It Was Too Late...

Casper Fredrick closed his eyes as he concentrated on his latest project - that of making a rug from scraps of fabric. Although he could not see the colours, his rugged hands, hardened by years of toil, undertook the delicate task of rug making. He took a break from his desk, reached for his cane and carefully made his way to the other end of the room where he told us his story.

Casper was born in the twin island state of Antigua and Barbuda fifty-nine (59) years ago, his lifestyle today is a far cry away from what it used to be in his early years.

In days gone by he was often referred to as a “jack of all trades”, having worked with the Public Works Department in the capital of St John’s, as a sailor, agardener and a carpenter. According to Casper he was capable of doing almost anything. But included in his active lifestyle were his demons of addiction – drinking and smoking.

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A Brief History of the Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired in Trinidad and Tobago

By Maurice Conor

Some people may feel that the changes and improvements in the education of the blind and visually impaired have not come rapidly enough during the eighty-six year existence of organized welfare work for the blind in this country.

After eleven years as a student at the Institute for the Blind and thirty-four years on the staff of the School for Blind children, Santa Cruz, I can understand these feelings. This state of affairs is not due to any acts of repression by the Committees concerned.

It is rather a reflection of the attitude of the society to the disabled: for example, its misguided patronage and excessively custodial approach to the work during the first period.

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