The Government of Saint Lucia has announced plans to establish a dedicated Disability Unit and launch a Prosthetic Centre, both aimed at addressing long-standing challenges faced by persons living with disabilities on the island.
According to the Minister of Persons With Disabilities, Jeremiah Norbert, allocations have already been made in the national budget to operationalise the Disability Unit and hire the necessary staff. He confirmed that recruitment will begin immediately after budget approval.
In its initial phase, the unit will focus on establishing a disability registry to formally identify individuals with disabilities and clarify eligibility for services. Norbert highlighted widespread misconceptions about what qualifies a person as disabled.
“Some individuals believe, if they have a broken finger today, that that qualifies them as a person with a disability,” he explained.
The registry will also help resolve issues such as the lack of official identification cards or vehicle signage for persons with disabilities. “So you go to Massy, for instance, and you may see somebody who actually has a disability parked in an area… if the vehicle does not have the proper signage… someone else may come and feel offended that it may be an able-bodied individual,” Norbert said, stressing the need for better systems to prevent misunderstanding and discrimination.
Beyond logistical support, the Disability Unit will also launch a public awareness campaign.
“We’re going to go on a PR campaign just to sensitise individuals about what the unit is going to do, what is the mandate of the unit and what qualifies individuals as someone with a disability,” the minister said.
Another key part of the government’s initiative is the Prosthetic Centre, which Norbert described as a long-overdue solution to the high costs and limited access to prosthetic limbs in Saint Lucia. He shared a personal connection to the issue: “I can stand before you comfortably because I was able to get a prosthetic… and I think every person in Saint Lucia who has a physical disability should be able to afford one. This is not a luxury. It is a necessity.”
Through consultations with local disability organisations like the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and the Saint Lucia Blind Welfare Association, the government identified prosthetic care as a critical gap in support services.
Norbert revealed that a location for the new centre had been identified, and a formal announcement will be made soon. “We’ve been able to identify an area… and the Prime Minister has placed in the budget… about $300,000 to start up the prosthetic centre,” he said.
The goal is not just to meet local demand but to position Saint Lucia as a regional hub for prosthetic care in the OECS. The centre will prioritise sustainability by reducing dependence on donor agencies and training local professionals.
“We want to be able to become almost self-sufficient… train our own individuals here, get them certified, and set up a prosthetic centre… to serve not just Saint Lucia but the OECS,” Norbert said.
