MARIGOT--A ceremony was held Saturday morning on Rue de La Mairie to unveil one of some twenty inscriptions that have been attached under wheelchair signs at designated handicapped parking spaces in Marigot.
The inscription reads “If you take my parking space, then take my handicap” and is designed to prick the conscience of motorists into respecting disabled parking spaces.
The initiative of Lions Club Fort Louis was one of several actions taking place to coincide with Disability Awareness Week. The club indicated it intends to order more of the signs for the other districts of the French side.
The brief ceremony was attended by Préfète Anne Laubies, Vice-President in charge of Families and Social Affairs Ramona Connor, and Territorial Councillors René-Jean Duret, Jean-David Richardson, Rollande Questel and Antero de Jesus Santos Paulino.
Present also were members of the three Lions Clubs of the French side; Oualichi, Fort Louis and Doyen, as well as Lions District President Véronique Paul, and President of handicapped association Tournesol, Bernice Brooks and her members.
Following the inauguration, a short tour was made of Marigot in wheel chairs starting from the handicapped centre Service d’Education Specialisé et de Soins a Domicile (SEESAD).
Elected officials got an appreciation of what it is like to go about one’s daily activities as a disabled person in a wheelchair. Taking to the wheelchairs to lead the tour were the Préfète, Ramona Connor, René-Jean Duret and Rollande Questel.
The procession passed along Rue de La Liberté, Rue Kennedy and Rue Général de Gaulle, with stops at pharmacies, the café opposite the Courthouse, the Post Office, and one or two shops.
It was very evident that much more has to be done in Marigot to improve accessibility for wheel chairs. Pedestrian crossings mostly had no slopes for wheelchairs, or a slope on one side but not the other, and pavements were difficult to mount without being pushed by a helper.
It was noted that the ramp outside the courthouse was too steep for wheelchairs as they could roll backwards. Apparently an accident of that nature had already occurred there. The Post Office, however, is due to undergo some renovations and this should be corrected.
Connor indicated that the service counters in the Post Office and at the café were at the right height for a person in a wheelchair.
The wheel chair tour was one of the last planned activities drawing attention to the disabled.
