A 55-year-old disabled veteran is calling on the relevant authorities to do more to address the plight of disabled persons, despite welcoming the government’s newly approved national policy on disabilities.Philip Clement, who suffers from Avascular Necrosis, a degenerative bone disease affecting both his hips, has faced unemployment, severe hardship, and a lack of assistance from several government agencies, leading to a rapid decline in his quality of life.The St Lucy resident has since issued a call for greater involvement from government agencies in the lives of those they serve, for job opportunities for the disabled community, and for a more holistic support system that offers sustainable solutions to help vulnerable individuals regain independence.Sharing that he was wrongfully dismissed from his job as a driver and general worker at a funeral home earlier this year, he noted that his condition, which leaves him in chronic pain and difficulty with mobility, makes securing new employment opportunities seem far-fetched, despite his willingness to work.This, he declared, is the sad story of many others who are disabled.“After losing my job, my standard of living dropped below the poverty line. I reached out to multiple agencies, including the National Disabilities Unit, the Welfare Department, and the Prime Minister’s Office, but nothing has significantly changed my situation,” Clement said.
