VISHANNA PHAGOO

Greater inclusivity is needed in many sectors in TT businesses, whether it is the LGBTQ+ community, differently-abled people or those who are being discriminated against based on where they live.

The government and the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) have developed guidelines to ensure that regardless of what lifestyle people live or what circumstance they live in all can have an opportunity to thrive.

The Ministry of Social Development's 2018 National Policy on Persons with Disabilities includes protecting and promoting those with disabilities, the marginalised and to empower and eliminate the stigma around them, providing the push in all aspects of society for greater inclusion. These aspects are social, educational, cultural, economic and recreation.

Then line minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn said, "This policy stands as an essential part of the government of TT's Vision 2030 National Development Strategy and is positioned to address some of the gaps and inconsistencies in existing legislation."

"The policy also represents a strategic commitment by the ministry to ensure equality and equity in the provision and development of plans and services to the community of persons with disabilities. This is extremely important as the demands for social assistance far outweigh the state’s present resources," she added.

The EOC was established under the 2000 Equal Opportunity Act (EOA) to eliminate prejudice and promote equality and good relations between employees and employers of different statuses. The act prohibits discrimination in four broad categories – employment, education, the provision of goods and services and the provision of accommodation – where that discrimination is tied to certain personal and inherent characteristics known as status grounds. There are seven status grounds– race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, origin including geographical origin, disability and sex.

Vice chair of the EOC Dr Gabrielle Hosein said, "If someone is being discriminated against because they are from a borough, a town, a district or for that matter any area, then they are being discriminated against because of their geographical origin. This would include, for example, where someone is not hired for a job because they are from a certain village, town or any geographical part of TT or where an employer says that they prefer to promote or offer benefits to persons from this area over that area."

"People do not originate only from geographical locations, they also originate from ancestry, parentage, or social class," she added.

The EOC noted that most of the complaints received are based on race, ethnicity, origin and disability. It recorded 14 complaints from those with disabilities last year compared to three in 2020. There were also five complaints regarding people's geographical origin in 2021 compared to seven in 2020. In 2018, there were nine complaints which was the highest in a five-year period.

The commission continues to work with organisations to ensure there is inclu