[Nyagdu] Good morning all NYAGDU members and President Gwizdala

Wed Jul 22 13:42:57 UTC 2015

Good morning all NYAGDU members:

Over the last few months, I have been working on issues with my
international friends in the Caribbean about trying to allow service animals
into their countries. I know the Bahamas has allowed them for years and
even, strengthened their laws last July in their congress about people with
disabilities. A good friend of mine there Mr. Jerome Thompson who is not a
guide dog user, but is blind and building the 1st Universally designed
all-inclusive resort. That will focus on people who are disabled and not.   

Also I am in talks with President of the Barbados Council for the Disabled.
Kerryann Ifill, who is a good friend, she has indicated that Barbados has
removed the  quarantine restrictions for entering the Caribbean Island, they
have not mentioned much about it, and she is also a member of the WBU, and
plans to attend the NFB 2016 Convention and also the General Session of the
WBU (World Blind Union) in Orlando in August.

Another new friend of mine  and when  I say friends I mean friends  in the
fight for the blind communities in their countries.

His name is Senator Floyd Morris of Jamaica, he is the President of the
Senate in Jamaica. We have spoken a few times on skype, and plan to meet in
Jamaica when I am there in October for a conference, wish I could say it
will be a vacation.

Anyway, he has indicated as well, they are slowly allowing service animals
into Jamaica, right now it is only through the cruise lines.

There was also an international meeting in Montreal last year, which I was
not able to attend, but it was about travel for those who are disabled, and
a lot came up about service animals in the Caribbean, actually it came up
about most places and not just the Caribbean.

The issues were and still are:

1.      To many people are trying to pass off their dogs that are not
service animals, as service animals, so that can bring their dogs into the
countries free, without going through the proper channels, etc. They are
getting worried that, as we all know here is getting out of hand.  The DOJ
has changed what is considered a service animal and what isn't. What we can
say and ask here.

2.      Unlike Barbados, who welcomed their 1st guide dog from the United
Kingdom, it was mostly a promotion of guide dogs in that country. The
article from October of 2014 is here

http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=lifestyle
<http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/newsitem.asp?more=lifestyle&NewsID=39341>
&NewsID=39341

I maybe shouldn't have numbered this, but these countries are trying to do
the right things. Travel & Tourism is trying to send members to places like
these meetings across the country, and possibly other places like Margo
Downey went to Washington, DC last September to an Airlines meeting for
people with disabilities.

What I am saying is, that we need to help our brothers and sisters in other
countries as well, especially if we want to visit these places as guide dog
users. 

We also have to remember that, we have the ADA here in the US, other
countries do not, and we have to abide by their laws. 

This is the last thing I am going to say, and it might offend those who I
say it to. To many issues are happening, when we bring out guide dogs on
cruise ships that go to these locations and others.

Many people because they don't have someone to take and care for their
animals while traveling. It is not easy to do, it is expensive to board a
dog, or to rely on those that have friends and families who want to help
watch your dog. 

They are leaving their dogs on the ships in their rooms, or this is
something that I am finding more and more irresponsible is that when
arriving into any country you are visiting again, on a cruise ship. The
customs officers are now coming onto the ships to see the dogs prior to
allowing them to enter the country. Either the person who is bringing their
dog doesn't have the proper paperwork, didn't tell the cruise ship you are
bringing the dog, or decided not to get off the ship, and figured you didn't
need to the customs meeting.

You are not only violating customs of that country, but you are also holding
up over sometimes 2500+ people from leaving the cruise ship. That you will
never hear on a sound bite on the news about, I say that from experience,
the last time I went to the Bahamas they wanted to just see the dog prior to
us leaving the ship. We were there but 3 other people, who had nothing to do
with us traveling, didn't show up, and when the cruise ship finally reached
the client, 2 had dogs on their without the permits, and 1 didn't want to go
to the island that  day. But that held up us getting of the ship for 2
hours.

I am hoping that we as NYAGDU, NAGDU, Travel & Tourism can come together and
work on some of these issues. There are many others, which I hope to have a
joint meeting or teleconference call with Dr. Fred Schroeder, who is Vice
President of the WBU and some of these other leaders that I am having these
conversations with and hopefully all of you as well. We all want the same
things. To Live The Lives We Want.

Thank you.

Cheryl Echevarria, President

National Federation of the Blind's Travel and Tourism Division

A proud division of the 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND - "Live the life you want"

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Cheryl Echevarria 

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