Gov’t Has Change Of Heart On Sign Language Interpreter

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, March 13 2015 – Sign language interpreter Ammarilla Henry, who was made redundant from Antigua Broadcasting Services (ABS) Television, will be keeping her job after all, two government officials confirmed yesterday.

The sources said the decision was made a week ago to pull back her termination letter and it was left up to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Melford Nicholas to inform the relevant parties, to include Henry and ABS managers.

Henry is currently on leave which commenced on February 18, and would have ended on March 18 when her redundancy was set to take effect.

The sources said when she returns to work, she would not be featured in the regular packaging of the ABS TV news broadcast which starts at 7 pm. Instead, a special package would be prepared for her to present the sign language interpretation of the news for the deaf and hearing impaired.

This would be done after the regular news time, the sources said.

President of the Association for Persons with Disabilities Bernard Warner had argued on two fronts: that Henry’s service is essential to the hearing impaired and deaf community; and she, too, is disabled as she has only one leg. (Antigua Observer)