Thoughts of a minibus traveller

   The theme of the first conversation on Domestic violence for 2021 was  Providing inclusive and accessible services for survivors with disabilities ".  The conversation was held virtually on Thursday 28 December, 2021, and was facilitated by Carlotta Boodie-Walcott and Vidyaratha Kissoon The participants joined from Linden, Patentia, New Amsterdam and Manchester in Berbice; from Georgetown and from Barbados, Dominica and  USA.  Some participants were part of disability advocacy groups while others were engaging in deep conversation for the first time on providing services for persons with disabilities. These notes reflect some of the discussions and recommendations.   The conversation started with the screening of this video from FONHARE in Haiti   "Tell the man not to eat all the rice.."  All of the participants recognised that the health services, social services and police are not easily accessible to persons with disabilities. One person shared a story about

   Mothers.. "Hi Mr Kissoon.. " the woman smiles at me. My shoulders tense up. Social gathering for a baby's christening. Woman calls out to her daughter.. "come come.. see Mr Kissoon' .My head goes.. no no.. , smile is on my face. "Tell Mr Kissoon how you doing.. ' woman tells the child  who is not looking at me., body language showing discomfort. 'Okay' she says. I say.. .look how place hot eh.. . how you doing.. to the smiling mother. I met the child and her mother 12 months or so before the christening. The woman had brought her child for counselling (frontline). 'Her father want to sex with her.. I trying to tell her to bear up and that I would not leave her at home.. is since she was 5 years old .. but I trying to leave and go away and he supposed to go away.. but i hope you could counsel her.."  I am horrified at the mother. Face calm thinking of the 'non-judgemental thing' . Trying to listen to the child, while not hating

Bus driver wearing mask on his chin. I next to him on the jump seat with cloth on my face. Woman next to me with mask on. Covid-19 regulations relaxed. I had opened conversation by saying that I forget my manners by not saying morning. Woman said 'is okay'. Midday news on radio. Story about the baby who died from Covid-19 at West Demerara Regional Hospital.  The Chief Medical Officer had confirmed that the b aby might have contracted Covid at the hospital   I mutter something about nothing aint gun happen.  Baby dead in Guyana's public hospital system. Woman is silent. Mask on. Looking out the window. Probably wishing I shut my mouth too to keep in the Covid.  Bus driver says.. 'well leh we see what dey gun do about dat' .   Nothing has happened we know about. Babies and other people might still contract Covid in the hospitals. This story coming at the same time as the story of a baby girl, found floating in a trench at Crane. West Coast Demerara. Left hand miss