The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) is calling for more employers to “tap into the pool” of disabled persons and maximise the skills and competencies they bring to the workplace. 

Speaking at the Caribbean Society of Human Resource Professionals (CSHRP) LOUD24 Conference, JCPD Corporate Communications and Public Relations Manager Adrienne Pinnock, said, “Why are we importing talent when there is a talent pool right here waiting to get hired?” 

“Like every other employee, access to the tools that allow full execution of their duties is necessary. Persons with disabilities are ready, qualified and capable of filling several roles in the modern workplace. All they need is access – whether technological access or physical access,” she continued. 

“We are not fragile but competent and capable,” she added. 

Senior Talent and Recruitment Officer at Digicel Jamaica, Daveanna-Kay Reid, echoed Pinnock’s sentiments and added her personal journey navigating the workplace after experiencing a life-changing spinal cord injury. She said being in a wheelchair has prevented her from working in a fast-paced, multinational corporation. 

“There needs to be a genuine commitment from employers to do more than a tokenistic interview. I started as an intern and I’ve been promoted within my company because I am not treated as fragile. My prospects were not limited to a secretarial post. I was trained and challenged and my talent was nurtured. That was the priority – finding and unlocking my talent,” she said. 

CSHRP Founder Rochelle James says, “Despite Jamaica’s Disabilities Act coming into force in 2022, employment discrimination remains a concern for persons with disabilities. They have earned their qualifications but still encounter employers unwilling to make or unaware of how to make the investments and accommodations to ensure inclusion.” 

“We must get LOUD on the legal obligations that the Disabilities Act now imposes on employers and commit to investing in inclusion. We have a competent talent pool within the community of persons with disabilities and must begin to explore and nurture it,” she continued.