To ensure changes are made for the disabled the entire Island must get involved, a disabled rights campaigner said during Access Week 2006.

South African advocate for disabled and human rights, Shuaib Chalklen, spoke to a crowd on Thursday at Par-La-Ville Park.

Mr. Chalklen asserted that while he is foreign to the culture of the Island, he does think positive changes are possible. He said Bermudians should ask themselves: ?Do you want to be like the rest when you have an opportunity to make a difference? The challenge for Bermudians is to look at the society you live in and acknowledge the good in it and to accept responsibility for the changes you still need to bring about,? he said.

He continued: ?Many wonderful changes are evident, schools that are accessible [and there is good health care. If there are further changes that need to happen, it is the responsibility of all to ensure the necessary changes are brought about.?

Steve Wilson ? a man who has been physically disabled since he was 19 ? attended the event and agreed that more people need to get involved. ?We have this thing every year, but I don?t think enough is being done.?

?I don?t care which government ? UBP or PLP. Government just has to do more,? he said.

Mr. Chalklen ? who became physically disabled at 15 when working on a construction site in South Africa ? is the Director of the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons and works directly with the president of South Africa and the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee.

He said that it is important for disabled people to speak about their thoughts and feelings, and said it was critical for all Bermudians to listen.

According to Mr. Chalklen the disabled are at the bottom of society universally.

?Unfortunately the truth of the conditions of disabled persons anywhere in the world is that we are usually located at the bottom [of society, with the least opportunity to educate or to find meaningful employment.

?For disability rights activists it also means access to the economic environment of a society, such as work or business. It also means access to the cultural life of a society, such as sport and leisure and religion. It also means access to health and educational opportunities; access to information and communication ? to enable people with disabilities to enjoy all the human rights and fundamental freedoms.?