Oct. 23, 2006 — The first session of the 2006 Voices That Count conference opened Monday morning to a room crowded with Virgin Islanders who have disabilities, their family members, advocates and health-care providers.
The conference, sponsored mainly by the Virgin Islands University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, offers a forum for people with disabilities to sound off about their concerns in day-to-day living.
UVI President LaVerne Ragster opened the first day of the conference, now in its fourth year. She welcomed the group and encouraged everyone to get involved in the forum process.
The keynote speaker for the event was Eva Britt, founder of a Washington, D.C., law firm that emphasizes protection of the civil, human and legal rights of people with disabilities. Britt was awarded the distinguished alumni award this year by the National Association for Equal Opportunity for Blacks in Higher Education, and the dedication to service award by the D.C. Center for Independent Living.
The forum focuses on four issues: education, transportation, employment and health, including mental health, and the services they provide to the disabled community. The participants traditionally break up into focus groups after the morning presentations.
The groups prepared questions to ask on Tuesday of those who might help implement their concerns — political candidates. The day will feature a panel discussion with the candidates. Organizers will distribute a report card compiled by members of the disabled community, which rates the government's services and notes progress the V.I. community has made to become compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The government has not fared well in past report-card scores. In 2003, it received failing grades in almost every area. Two of the above-passing grades were given to Vitran Plus, which got a C for achievement and a B for effort. No report cards were distributed in 2004, and the event was not held in 2005.
Scheduled to appear in Tuesday's forum are the three gubernatorial candidates: John deJongh, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Kenneth Mapp, according to Wilbert Francis, VIUCEDD assistant director. Also expected are several senatorial candidates and candidates for the territory's congressional seat: incumbent Donna M. Christiansen and candidate Warren Mosler.
The conference, which is open to the public, moves to St. Croix Wednesday and Thursday at the Carambola Beach Resort. It has the same hours as the St. Thomas conference, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. To attend the St. Croix conference, contact Miriam Osborne-Elliot, UVI assistant program director, at 692-1919. For Tuesday's St. Thomas session, call Wilbert Francis at 693-1189.
Other sponsors of the event include the V.I. Association for Independent Living, V.I. Advocacy, Lutheran Social Services, Work-Able and the V.I. Find and Harvest organizations.
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