Trayson Gibson Remained Unemployed Due to Disability  

Several suspects have been detained following the tragic shooting in Belize City on Sunday night. The incident on Rivero Street claimed the life of eighteen-year-old Trayson Gibson. Trayson had been paralyzed from the waist down since a shooting in 2022, and he had been using a wheelchair ever since. Despite his challenges, Trayson never lost his determination. He was on a relentless quest to find a job to support his grandmother, who was his primary caretaker. Unfortunately, his efforts were in vain as many companies were unwilling to hire a wheelchair user. Earlier this year, Belize made a significant stride by passing the historic Disabilities Bill, aimed at ensuring equal opportunities for Belizeans with disabilities. This bill emphasizes the right to employment, giving hope that people like Trayson would have a fair chance to work. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

At just fifteen, Trayson Gibson’s world was shattered when a shooting left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for life. But Trayson didn’t let this break his spirit. According to his grandmother, who cared for him, his incredible willpower helped him adapt to his new reality with remarkable resilience.

 

 

Voice of: Grandmother of Deceased

“And it heartbreaking for him too because he does play football, he da mi a football person, play basketball, all kind of thing. And inna one ovanight he get like that. He neva gone da no therapy so he da Wa strong guy. Because he neva did gina da nothing, he just tek it right so and he get back with that.”

 

 

 

 

On Sunday, Trayson Gibson was mortally injured while he was hanging out with friends in his neighborhood. Reports say two men on a motorcycle suddenly appeared and opened fire. This time, the bullets were fatal. For his grandmother, the pain of losing Trayson is even more profound because she remembers his unwavering determination. Despite countless job rejections, he never lost hope of finding work to help pay the bills.

 

 

Voice of: Grandmother of Deceased

“Most of the call centers they said they noh have the wheelchair access so they said ney cya tek ah. So he mi get shove back fi that. Ney noh really wa deal with ah. Because he wa cya go up fi work and then neu she ney noh di tek nobody on fi home one right now. So ih lone ki di get throwback throwback, Throw back, So ih neva did get anything like that.”

 

 

According to his grandmother, Gibson had finally received a call back from a potential employer. However, his hopes were dashed when he mentioned that he was in a wheelchair, and the opportunity slipped away.

 

Voice of: Grandmother of Deceased

“He never gave up. He always di search. The other day somebody mi call ah but ih look like he noh tell ney that how he cripple. So Princess mi call ah but it look like when Princess call he seh that he noh want neh type ah job because soh and soh and da then ney understand. But ney mi di call ah fi go work. But he’s like that and it mi wa be a problem because neh noh tek people like that. Belize noh really get advance inna thing lie that yet to me.”

 

Earlier this month, Belize made history by passing its first-ever disability bill. This landmark legislation aims to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities, like Trayson Gibson, protect their rights, and ensure they receive the privileges and benefits guaranteed by the Constitution. As a result, more establishments across Belize will need to make their buildings accessible to everyone, including those who are wheelchair-bound. Minister of Human Development, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, explains what these changes will entail.

 

File: December 3^rd, 2024

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“ If you make legislation that you are going to not only respect the rights of persons with disabilities, but do something about it, then the practical benefits that should come are That there will be recourse, there will be a place and a structure where persons with disabilities will be able to hold all the relevant parties accountable. Whether it’s government, private sector, schools, health, education, employment, all of these things are important. And basically what we’re saying is that we want to ensure that persons with disabilities, let’s take wheelchair access, as the most, probably the most glaring example, the most obvious example, many of our buildings are not wheelchair accessible for persons with that kind of mobility difficulty, so basically what the law is saying is that Buildings will have to make themselves accessible to people in a wheelchair.”

 

The bill mandates that within a year, both government and private buildings must ensure accessibility where feasible. It also highlights the commitment to uphold the rights of every disabled person, including their right to employment.

 

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

“We are saying that both private sector and government, we need to make ourselves and the buildings that we occupy, accessible to persons with that kind of disability. Now, there are other disabilities, mental, emotional you have visually impaired, we have hearing impaired. And so in terms of persons with disabilities access to employment, to education, to health care. Government would be a lead agency, but then the private sector and other agencies would kick in making sure that we respect the rights of persons with disabilities and make the adjustments that we feel may be necessary.”

 

With the new bill in place, Belizeans with disabilities now have a powerful piece of legislation to back them up. It clearly outlines their right to employment opportunities and stands firmly against discrimination. This is a significant step forward in ensuring equal treatment and opportunities for everyone. Britney Gordon for News Five.