Affirmative Action for Differently-Abled Urged
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn is calling on the government to adopt affirmative-action-style measures to improve employment and social inclusion for persons with disabilities in the Virgin Islands. He says existing programmes and one-size-fits-all hiring practices fail to meet the needs of differently-abled residents and urged extensions or adaptations of initiatives such as the Government’s RATED employment scheme.
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has renewed calls for a more proactive, affirmative-action-style approach to employment and inclusion for differently-abled residents of the Virgin Islands, warning that current measures leave the community economically and socially sidelined. Walwyn, the Sixth District representative, said the Territory should consider models used elsewhere — including the United States, where Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to adopt affirmative action plans to improve recruitment, hiring and retention of people with disabilities.
He argued that similar targeted measures are needed here because “traditional hiring practices alone have not closed employment gaps.” “It can’t be a good thing that you get up every morning … and because you just happen to have a disability, you are thrown on the side,” Walwyn said.
He criticised government policy that applies the same employment metrics to persons with disabilities as to the rest of society. “These are people who have difficulties. You can’t use the same metric for them,” he added. Walwyn suggested extending or adapting existing programmes, such as the Government’s RATED employment initiative, to specifically support differently-abled jobseekers across both public and private sectors.
He described a practical test during the Standing Finance Committee process for the finalisation of the 2026 budget: after being told an initiative existed, he submitted a name “as a tester” to see how the programme would work. “I sent one name as a tester. Nothing!” he said, recounting that the individual was later told they would still have to apply and go through the standard process. “No, that is not the approach,” Walwyn stressed.
Beyond recruitment, Walwyn warned of the human cost of exclusion: watching society progress while remaining sidelined “can’t be a good feeling,” he said. His remarks underline growing frustration that well-intentioned policies may not translate into concrete, accessible opportunities for differently-abled residents.
Policy options commonly discussed in other jurisdictions include targeted recruitment drives, reasonable workplace accommodations, supported employment programmes, employer incentives, and public-sector targets or quotas. Walwyn urged the government to clarify existing initiatives and consider adapted measures so that differently-abled people “feel like they’re part of the community.” As the 2026 budget process moves forward, Walwyn’s appeal sets the stage for renewed scrutiny of how the Territory supports vulnerable groups and whether current programmes deliver meaningful, measurable results.
Primary source: BVI News