The Bahamas Alliance for The Blind and Visually Impaired informed that the association headed by its President Mr. Desmond Brown, Mr. Spurgeon Neely, 1^st Vice President and board of directors kicked off the month of celebration on Sunday, October 4 with a church service at Rhodes Memorial Methodist Church.  

Throughout the month of October the association will hold a number of activities including making special appearances on various radio and television talk shows where they will address the topics, ‘What will you do if you lost your vision? Would you marry someone that is blind? Would you hire someone that is blind and also How would you as an individual handle a love one who has lost his or her vision?’ Along with giving tips on how to preserve one’s vision.  

The Bahamas Alliance for The Blind and Visually Impaired will hold an Open House at its office located in the Salvation Army Adult Blind Center and Workshop Building on Ivanhoe Road off Mackey Street on Friday, October 23.  

On Saturday, October 31, the association will hold a special Walkathon and Souse Out (Walk For Sight). BABVI is encouraging business houses and corporate Bahamas to fund this worthy cause as, all proceeds from the walkathon will be used to support the association’s various programs to assist the blind and visual impaired in the community.  

Over the years The Bahamas Alliance for The Blind and Visually Impaired have implemented various training and rehabilitation programs including Brail, and computer training.  

Mr. Brown commented, “The Bahamas Alliance for The Blind and Visually Impaired is very pleased to host this First Annual Sight Awareness Month under the theme, ‘Make The Decision Preserve Your Vision.’ It is important to us to make persons aware of the need to preserve one’s vision first of all. Also in the case where individuals have become partially blind or have completely lost their sight, equal opportunities should be afforded to such persons who should be given the tools necessary to function.”  

Mr. Brown said in cases where individuals would have gone partially blind or lost their complete vision, they should not be discriminated against on the job whereby they are terminated or placed in a corner in the back office where they do nothing. Mr. Brown noted that there are up-to-date technologies available to assist the blind and visually impaired in performing their duties on the job.  

The BABVI President called for equal opportunities for persons that are blind and visually impaired noting that, “We to are human beings. We have needs, we have dreams, we have aspirations. We are intelligent and if given the tools to perform, studies have shown that persons with disabilities including blind persons are much more productive than the quote on quote normal person.” He called for equal opportunities in education in particular.  

Mr. Brown urged Bahamians everywhere to get regular eye checkups with their doctors, and in cases where prescription medicine is given, use it as prescribed by their physician. He also cautioned persons using dangerous tools and chemicals to wear the proper protective gears. Also he said, children should be warned not to throw stones or use pencils and pens as weapons when resolving conflict. “All these things assist people in preserving their vision.”  

Mr. Neely, who is blind and is a well-known businessperson, said that it is important that persons who are blind and visually impaired be allowed to continue to play a meaningful role in the development of the society because every society is only as strong as the weakest link. He said, “Persons who are visually impaired have tremendous gifts and talents, which continues on with them despite their visual impairment. While they may have lost their sight, their gifts and talent still remains,” said Mr. Neely.  

He encouraged members of the society to find innovative ways to develop the gifts of such persons, rather than stifle their development. For instance he asked, “Why should someone who is visually impaired in spite of the fact that he may be academically inclined be permitted only to advance his education at a grade school level because the only school he knows about is the Salvation Army. If that individual has the opportunity as his sighted colleagues, then he should be able to achieve just like any and everybody else, why not provide them with brail books and computers fitted with a jaws screen reader, so that he can have access to a computer just like the sighted person.”  

For more information on The Bahamas Alliance for The Blind and Visually Impaired persons may contact 394-8297 or 359-1359 or e-mail babvi_11@yahoo.com , or visit the office located in the Salvation Army Adult Blind Center and Workshop Building, 12 Ivanhoe Road, off Mackey Street.