The high unemployment rate among people with disabilities is not just a social issue but a national development crisis, according to executive director of the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), Richard Jones.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Barbados Council for the Disabled last Thursday, Jones said the exclusion of people with disabilities from the workforce represented a significant economic and social loss for Barbados.

In Jones’ address, titled Adapting To Survive: How Changing Demographics Are Reshaping the Future Of NGOs, he cited figures from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Barbados as the council marked its 50th anniversary.