Three women were lifted by strangers, up two steps and into an Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, fast food restaurant, after waiting on the pavement for several minutes in an attempt to purchase lunch.
An activity that seemed like the most basic of tasks, turned into an embarrassing and demeaning ordeal for these women, as they set the example for what thousands of people with disabilities in T&T experienced daily.
Yesterday, Squeaky Wheels, a foundation created to bring awareness to disability challenges had a “pop-up” lunch in Port-of-Spain.
The concept of the pop-up lunch is that people with disabilities would show up at a restaurant to have lunch or attempt to in order to highlight the lack of access for all people at restaurants.
Yesterday, Squeaky Wheels founder Sharda Ramlakhan along with chairman of the T&T Occupational Therapy Association (TTOTA) Priya Gomes and treasurer Lesley Garcia attempted to purchase a meal at a Subway restaurant along with several other people in wheelchairs.
“We came out to highlight the lack of access in international franchises for people with disabilities, ie ramps, rails, accessible bathrooms and we were very disappointed that these franchises don’t adapt to international best practice,” Ramlakhan.
“We should not be tolerating a sub-standard service when we are paying a premium price.”
She said the purpose of the exercise was also to instill a conscious consumerism in passers-by, where they realise that people with disabilities were discriminated against in a certain franchise then maybe they could take there business elsewhere.
“These businesses make millions in profit and there is no reason they should not have proper accessibility.”
The group of men and women waited outside of Subway for about 15 minutes while they were ignored by managers and staff.
One customer came outside to offer help and asked two men passing to help lift the women inside so they could purchase a meal.
Even after being lifted into the store the women said they were ignored by the manager and staff.
One male participant, who also used a wheelchair, attempted to use the bathroom but as it was not outfitted for people with disabilities he could not proceed on his own.
“He was told by a staff member that someone would come and help lift him on to the seat,” Garcia said.
She described the experience as humiliating.
“That was horrible, the experience of being lifted in is scary and lifted out, it’s embarrassing and people have to go through this on a regular basis,” Garcia said.
The group said while the country waited on legislation, businesses needed to take steps to ensure that all their locations was accessible.