I wish to make an appeal to all those who really have the interests of disabled people at heart. I appeal to them to make sure that disability is not reduced to a partisan and political issue. I believe that would be dangerous since disability is perhaps one of the few issues that cuts across class, gender, race, faith and political belief. Indeed, this issue has enjoyed political support from both our political parties. 

While there is still work to be done to ensure that disabled people enjoy full inclusion in society and independent living, I think that we have made significant progress in this area while plans to increase community-based services to allow them to be more independent are also underway. This is not to say that we are already there, but we cannot deny that the lives of disabled people are far better than they have ever been before. For, to be honest, I am a disabled person myself!

Thus, I make this appeal first as a disabled person, and second, as a disability activist because I fear that by turning disability into a matter for party politics, we would be doing a disservice to disabled people like myself and to the whole disability sector.

I propose that instead of engaging in dialogue based on confrontation and division, the disability issue needs an environment that fosters cooperation and solidarity. 

Gordon C. Cardona

PAOLA