Bermuda's disabled continue to be discriminated against with Government taking the lead, advocates claim.

An anonymous letter writer and CedarBridge Academy teacher Phylis Harshaw both spoke out recently over Government's hiring of an able-bodied person for the post of Coordinator of Disabled Services over two suitable disabled applicants.

Ms Harshaw received a Masters degree in Human Resource Development and Management from Webster University in 1988.

In her graduation class were Michele Gabisi, who went on to become principal of Berkeley Institute, and Christine DeSilva, who heads up Saltus Junior School.

But upward mobility has eluded Ms. Harshaw, who now has two masters degrees.

Ms. Harshaw is legally blind and has only one arm. That, she says, has made all the difference.

"I have given up applying for upward mobility because everybody hasn't got the guts to hire somebody with a disability -- all they see is the disability not the ability.'' And, while she says that the Department of Education did "not bat an eye'' when they hired her, she is adding her voice to others within the disabled community who claim that Government efforts to level the playing field for disabled people is crippled from the start.

Earlier this year, Development and Opportunity Minister Terry Lister announced that a department devoted to the needs of the Island's 2,000 plus disabled persons had been set up.

Ann Lindroth, former Activity Director of Windreach Recreational Village was appointed the Island's first Coordinator of the Office for Disabled Persons.

A letter writer calling himself an advocate for disabled rights claimed recently that Government discriminated against two "highly qualified professionals'' who had applied for the position of Coordinator of Disabled Services because they were disabled.

Ms. Harshaw confirmed to The Royal Gazette that she was one of them.

Jennifer Jeffers-Grant, a deaf woman who currently works as a teacher for the deaf, also applied for the position. She declined to comment.

Mrs. Jeffers-Grant has a masters degree in special education, 13 years experience as a teacher and has worked as an advocate for deaf people in New York.

Ms. Harshaw, whose other masters degree is in special education, told The Royal Gazette that when she was turned down for the job, she was told she did not have budgeting experience.

"I would have thought that other experience I have had would have been more important than budgeting,'' she said.

"It (budgeting) doesn't take a rocket scientist.'' Ms Harshaw said her experience made her an ideal candidate for just what Bermuda's disabled community needs today -- a liaison and resource person.

"During my 19 years of teaching I have worked with students who are learning disabled or academically challenged. Some have been severely challenged,'' she said.

"I have had to do job placements and follow ups for students with disabilities.'' Discrimination against the disabled in Bermuda is nothing new, said Ms Harshaw.

"I would have thought that Government would have led the way by hiring a qualified person with a disability to do the job. They had the opportunity and didn't use it for whatever reasons.'' Ms Harshaw said that her views did not mean she harbours any animosity toward Ms Lindroth, a personal friend.

"I know Ann will do a good job,'' she said. But she added that she was "far more qualified''.

Ms. Lindroth has a BA in recreational studies.

Like all civil service vacancies, the final selection was made via the Public Service Commission.

But the letter writer, who echoed Ms Harshaw's view that the position should have gone to a disabled person, reserved his criticism for Mr. Lister.

"Mr. Lister needs to understand what it means to be disabled and discriminated against. Secondly, before Mr. Lister starts talking about discrimination, he needs to clean up the discrimination against the disabled within his own Government.'' "The fact of the matter is that the Government did not wish to hire someone who is disabled for the position and the excuse of not meeting `their requirements' was a poor excuse not to hire these highly qualified professionals.'' He said disabled people were best able to make decisions for themselves and the position should have gone to a qualified disabled person.

Mr. Lister would not comment, saying that the claims should first be verified as facts.

When contacted, Grace Rawlins, the Director of Community and Cultural Affairs, told The Royal Gazette that she could not comment on who applied for the position.

But she said she would not have any problem with a disabled person as the Coordinator of Disabled Services.

"It would depend on the disability, of course,'' Ms. Rawlins said.

"I really don't know what to say,'' she said when informed of the letter writer's criticisms. "It went before the Public Services Commission.'' But Ms. Harshaw said employers must search their consciences thoroughly when they find themselves rejecting a qualified disabled candidate for a position.

"First impressions always have an impact when a person walks in with a disability'' even if it's just on the subconscious level, she said.

She said that discrimination against the disabled only negatively impacts the bottom line because disabled people have to be more resourceful, more determined and more tenacious.

"Maybe Bermuda isn't ready for disabled people yet. They might show how incompetent able bodied people are.'' HANDICAP HAN