In this our March 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Telecommunications/ICT Consultant, Lendon Telesford and Perro Perry Holloway, of the Barbados National Organisation of the Disabled (BARNOD Inc.), the panel discusses the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities (generally) and the inclusion of persons with disability in the workplace with technology; and the slippery slope between crime prevention and mass surveillance.
This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!
Welcome to our March 2024 Community Chat!
In an increasingly digital world, access to technology is vital for full participation in society. In most telecoms/ICT policy and strategic documents these days, digital inclusion is often included as a priority. Usually, the focus is improving access to telecoms or digital services in underserved communities and low-income individuals, and occasionally, persons with disabilities are included. To varying degrees and depending on the country, some mechanisms are in place to address, and give visibility to, the needs of underserved communities and low-income individuals, but persons with disabilities are a much smaller cohort that is overlooked.
For persons with disabilities, digital inclusion encompasses more than just access to devices and the internet. It also involves ensuring that they can effectively use and benefit from digital and assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice recognition software, and alternative input devices play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide. Our first topic for this month’s Community Chat is Digital inclusion of persons with disabilities, which also includes a discussion on The inclusion of persons with disability in the workplace with technology.
Our second topic is a continuation of an ICT Pulse article published several weeks ago, Caught on camera: The slippery slope between crime prevention and mass surveillance, which discussed the benefits and concerns regarding the use of CCTV cameras and facial recognition technology in law enforcement in crime prevention and investigation. However, the issue continues to rear its head, and so with our guests and to gain other perspectives, we discussed The slippery slope between crime prevention and mass surveillance.
Now, allow us to introduce our guests.
Introducing our guests
Lendon Telesford is a Telecommunications/ICT Consultant based in Grenada. He holds a Master of Engineering degree in Computer Applied Technology from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, and a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Management Information Systems from St. George’s University, Grenada.
Lendon recently demitted the role of Telecommunications/ICT Specialist at the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, Grenada. He has a special interest in national and Caribbean development, especially the use of the .gd country code top-level domain and Grenada Internet Exchange Point, and is also passionate about the application of technology, and its potential to affect social change.
Perro Perry Holloway is a dedicated advocate for the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. With a career spanning over 20 years, he has made significant contributions to the disabled community in the Caribbean region.
Currently, Perro is the President of the Barbados National Organisation of the Disabled (BARNOD Inc.) and has played a pivotal role in the leadership of that organisation, which is committed to empowering and supporting individuals with disabilities. He has also served as the Public Relations Officer for Disabled Peoples International, a global network advocating for the rights of people with disabilities.
Perro’s expertise extends to social work and HIV/AIDS counselling, and his proficiency in ICT has facilitated innovative solutions for accessibility and inclusion within the disabled community. He continues to be a tireless advocate, championing equal opportunities, accessibility, and dignity for persons with disabilities; and is committed to creating an inclusive society, which is evident through his active involvement in policy development, awareness campaigns, and community engagement.
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Select links
Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:
- Lendon Telesford
- Barbados National Organisation of the Disabled (BARNOD Inc.) Facebook | Instagram
- ICT Pulse article, Caught on camera: The slippery slope between crime prevention and mass surveillancedata
- Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers publication, Disability and Inclusion Awareness Guidelines
- International Labour Organisation video, The Ability Factor: Employing people with disabilities makes good business sense
- International Labour Organisation publication, An inclusive digital economy for people with disabilities
Images credit: P P Holloway; L Telesford; SHVETS production (Pexels); Lianhao Qu (Unsplash); Thirdman (Pexels)
Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell
Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez
