The View from Where I Sit

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  • Black Disability History Matters

    It is vital to acknowledge and honor Black Disability History since Black disabled people have made such a paramount impact in leading our community and passing legislation for disability rights. This is where intersectionality plays a big role in the community because the Disability Rights Movement was crossed over and modeled from the Civil Rights Movement.

    Not only were many of these historical disabled Black activists fighting for their civil rights and to just exist peacefully, they were also facing discrimination for their disabilities and facing challenges with access & medical needs. Many of these activists also brought over their wisdom from protesting for the Civil Rights Movement and even being members of the Black Panthers.

    Also, it’s even more important that we honor them because non-disabled people already leave disabled people out of history, much less Black disability history. We know more than anyone we are the marginalized group that is always forgotten about. So do not forget to acknowledge our disabled Black brothers and sisters.

  • Storage Limitation vs Purpose Limitation in GDPR

    Under GDPR, the storage limitation principle mandates that personal data should only be retained as long as necessary for its intended purpose, while the purpose limitation principle requires that data be collected for specific, legitimate purposes and not further processed in a way that is incompatible with those purposes.


    Storage Limitation Principle
    The storage limitation principle is outlined in Article 5(1)(e) of the GDPR. It states that personal data must be kept in a form that allows identification of data subjects for no longer than necessary for the purposes for which the data is processed. Here are the key points:


    Retention Periods: Organizations must define and document how long they will retain personal data based on its intended purpose. Once the purpose is fulfilled, the data should be deleted or anonymized.


    Regular Reviews: It is essential to conduct periodic reviews of stored data to ensure compliance with retention policies and to delete any data that is no longer necessary.


    Legal Obligations: In some cases, data may need to be retained for longer periods due to legal obligations, such as tax or accounting laws.


    Purpose Limitation Principle
    The purpose limitation principle, also found in Article 5(1)(b) of the GDPR, requires that personal data be collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes. Key aspects include:


    Specified Purposes: Organizations must clearly define the purposes for which personal data is collected at the time of collection. This helps ensure transparency and accountability.


    Incompatibility of Further Processing: Data collected for one purpose cannot be used for another purpose that is incompatible with the original intent. For example, if data is collected for marketing, it cannot be used for recruitment without a valid legal basis.


    Function Creep Prevention: Organizations should regularly review their data processing activities to prevent “function creep,” where data is used for purposes beyond those originally specified.

    Best Practices for Compliance
    Develop Retention Policies: Organizations should create clear data retention policies that specify how long different types of data will be kept and the conditions for deletion.


    Conduct Data Audits:     Regular audits of data holdings can help identify unnecessary data and ensure compliance with both storage and purpose limitation principles.


    Educate Staff: Training staff on GDPR compliance and the importance of these principles can help mitigate risks associated with data retention and processing.

    By adhering to these principles, organizations can protect individuals’ privacy and ensure compliance with GDPR regulations.

  • The 7 Principles of GDPR

    1. Lawfulness, Fairness, and Transparency- Personal data must, be processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner.
    2. Purpose Limitation- Collected for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes.
    3. Data Minimization- Adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary.
    4. Accuracy– Kept accurate and up to date
    5. Storage Limitation- Personal data kept in an identifiable form for no longer than necessary.
    6. Integrity and Confidentiality- Ensuring security of personal data against unauthorised processing and loss.
    7. Accountability– Demonstrate compliance with the other principles.

  • Access Consultancy Proposals

    For access consultancy proposals, you can explore the following resources:


    Real Proposals: Download real consulting proposals from firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain to get inspiration and structure ideas for your own proposals.

    Government Requests for Proposals (RFPs): Check for RFPs related to access consultancy, such as the one for a UK City of Culture, which invites proposals for capital and building projects.


    Access Consultant Services: Look for services that provide access consultancy, including design reviews and access audits, to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.

    These resources can help you understand the requirements and structure for consultancy proposals in the access consultancy field.

  • Access consultancy services under the Equality Act


    Access consultancy services under the Equality Act 2010 are essential for organizations to ensure they are not unlawfully discriminating against people with disabilities. These services include:


    Access Audits:     Assessing a building or environment against best-practice standards to benchmark its accessibility to disabled people.

    Access Strategies: Developing a plan to improve accessibility and meet legal obligations under the Equality Act.

    Access Training: Providing training to help organizations understand their legal duties and implement necessary adjustments.

    Access Appraisals: Evaluating the accessibility of a building or service to identify barriers and recommend reasonable adjustments.

    These services are crucial for organizations to demonstrate compliance with the Equality Act and to create inclusive environments that benefit all users, including disabled people.

  • Access Audits and Access Appraisals

    Access audits and appraisals are both essential processes in ensuring the accessibility of environments and services. However, they serve different purposes and are conducted in different contexts.


    Access Audits: These are typically conducted for existing buildings or environments to identify and improve accessibility. They are not a checklist but a detailed appraisal of the accessibility of an environment, its facilities, and any services delivered from it. Access audits are carried out by specialists such as architects, occupational therapists, access consultants, and people with disabilities.

    Access Appraisals: These are usually part of the design process for new buildings or environments. They are more detailed and focus on the design and planning stages, ensuring that the principles of inclusive design are embedded within the project from the outset. Access appraisals are tailored to the unique context and requirements of the client, providing a detailed analysis of access improvements that can be fully integrated into a project.

    In summary, access audits are focused on existing environments to improve accessibility, while access appraisals are part of the design process for new environments to ensure inclusive design principles are met. Both processes are crucial for creating environments that are welcoming and accessible to all users.

    https://aboutaccess.co.uk/services/access-consultancy/

  • The Eisenhower Matrix

    The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful time management tool that helps you prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance, allowing you to focus on what truly matters.


    What is the Eisenhower Matrix?
    The matrix is named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, who emphasized the importance of prioritizing tasks effectively.

    The Four Quadrants
    Urgent and Important (Do First): Tasks that require immediate action and are critical to your goals. These should be your top priority.
    Important but Not Urgent (Schedule): Tasks that are important for your long-term success but do not require immediate action. Schedule these tasks for later.
    Urgent but Not Important (Delegate): Tasks that require immediate attention but do not significantly contribute to your long-term goals. Delegate these tasks if possible.
    Not Urgent and Not Important (Eliminate): Tasks that are neither urgent nor important. These should be minimized or eliminated from your to-do list.

    How to Use the Eisenhower Matrix
    Draw the Matrix: Create a four-box grid with the x-axis labeled “Urgent” and “Not Urgent,” and the y-axis labeled “Important” and “Not Important.”
    Categorize Tasks: List your tasks and place them in the appropriate quadrant based on their urgency and importance.
    Take Action: Focus on completing tasks in the “Urgent and Important” quadrant first, then schedule time for “Important but Not Urgent” tasks, delegate “Urgent but Not Important” tasks, and eliminate “Not Urgent and Not Important” tasks.

    Benefits of the Eisenhower Matrix
    Improved Focus: Helps you concentrate on tasks that align with your long-term goals.
    Reduced Stress: By prioritizing effectively, you can manage your workload better and avoid last-minute rushes.
    Enhanced Productivity: Encourages you to work smarter, not harder, by focusing on what truly matters.

    Conclusion
    The Eisenhower Matrix is a valuable tool for anyone looking to enhance their productivity and time management skills. By categorizing tasks based on urgency and importance, you can make informed decisions about where to focus your efforts, ultimately leading to greater efficiency and effectiveness in both personal and professional settings.

  • Wheelchair Access at the London 2012 Paralympic Games


    Travelling in London for the Paralympic Games was quite an adventure. My sole purpose at the Games was to report about the Bermudian Paralympian Jessica Lewis, who competed in the Wheelchair Track Events there. However, aside from that I also observed other issues like accessibility on transport, especially during this special sporting event.


    Overall, it was a quite pleasant and positive experience. I didn’t have any experiences where I had to complain about inaccessibility or poor services. This subject is important to me as I am a wheelchair user and mobility is always an on going problem for people who have little or no use of their lower extremities. Another reason why I’ve chosen to report on this is to make comparisons between accessibility in Bermuda’s Public Transport System and accessibility in London’s Public Transport system.


    From my point of view, I think that London’s Public Transport System is better organised than Bermuda’s because the staff members seem to be more experienced and therefore know what to do, especially if something was to go wrong.

    For example, one afternoon while I was travelling to the Olympic Stadium, I had to get on the bus but the ramp on it was malfunctioning. So when the staff saw this, they reported it, called for a new one and before you knew it, it arrived in no time. This proved to me that their services are fast and efficient.


    Unfortunately, in Bermuda, that has not been my experience. In the UK, it is apparently mandatory for all public transport to be fully equipped to serve the physically challenged community. However, in Bermuda we don’t have any laws in place to hold the Public Transport System accountable for how they give their services to people who have mobility problems.


    A few years ago, our former Premier did try to improve the wheelchair accessibility of the public buses by bringing in new ones with ramps. However, a problem occurred where the size of the gap between the buses and the sidewalks were not measured properly so this plan unfortunately did not work.


    While being in London for the past two weeks, I generally enjoyed travelling on the buses and the shuttle. All of the public places that I visited were wheelchair friendly and were implemented with both ramps and elevators to make getting around easier for me and other physically challenged people.


    However, on my way back, returning from London, I did experience a problem getting to the coach station. As I travelled on the buses in London, I noticed that there were short messages on the windows that said, “This area is designated for wheelchair users and baby buggies,” or it would say, “Please give preference to wheelchair users.”


    However, when there is a baby buggy on the bus, wheelchair users are not allowed. So while I travelled back from London, this created a problem. I ended up watching six buses go by as the wheelchair spaces were occupied with baby buggies which prevented me from getting on. The full buses were due to the athlete’s parade that was going on to officially end the London 2012 Paralympic Games. As time went by, I ended up changing my plans and turned to the train service for help. Two gentlemen kindly lifted me down the stairs in my wheelchair and onto the train.


    This train then took me to the coach station and from there I waited for my coach to arrive. When it arrived, the driver operated the lift which brought my wheelchair on the coach and then I transferred to a regular seat and went on my way back home.

  • Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities vs Americans with Disabilities Act

    Did you know the difference between the CRPD and the ADA?

    The CRPD (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) is a global human rights treaty that tells countries how disabled people’s rights should be protected.

    The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is a U.S. civil rights law that bans disability discrimination and gives us concrete rights we can enforce here at home.

    Knowing about both matters because the ADA is what we can use right now to ask for access, push back on discrimination, and file complaints or lawsuits.

    The CRPD gives us a global standard and language to say, “Disabled people everywhere deserve more than the bare minimum” and to hold governments accountable.

    Together, they help us see when what we’re getting is just compliance with the law vs. what true disability justice and human rights should look like.

    When we understand these tools, we’re better equipped to advocate for ourselves, support each other, and push for systemic change, not just small accommodations.

  • The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024

    The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC Act) aims to regulate competition in digital markets, enhance consumer rights, and provide the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) with new enforcement powers.


    Overview of the DMCC Act
    The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 was enacted to address the unique challenges posed by digital markets, where a small number of companies hold significant market power. The act aims to promote competition, protect consumers, and ensure fair trading practices in the digital economy.


    Key Provisions
    Regulation of Digital Markets:     The act empowers the CMA to designate certain undertakings as having strategic market status. This designation allows the CMA to impose specific conduct requirements on these companies to promote competition and prevent anti-competitive practices.


    Consumer Protection: The DMCC Act enhances consumer rights by addressing unfair commercial practices, including misleading advertising and fake reviews. It imposes duties on businesses to ensure transparency and fairness in their dealings with consumers.


    Enforcement Powers: The CMA has been granted significant new enforcement tools, including the ability to impose monetary penalties of up to 10% of global turnover for non-compliance. This includes streamlined settlement options and new offenses for failing to provide essential information in marketing practices.


    Impact on Businesses: The act applies not only to direct sellers but also to online platforms and any parties involved in promoting or supplying products to consumers. Businesses must ensure compliance with the new regulations, even if they do not sell directly to end users.


    Implications for Consumers and Businesses
    The DMCC Act is expected to foster a more competitive digital marketplace, benefiting consumers through improved choices and protections. For businesses, it necessitates a thorough understanding of the new regulations and compliance requirements to avoid penalties and ensure fair trading practices.

    In summary, the DMCC Act represents a significant step towards regulating digital markets and enhancing consumer rights in the UK, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges posed by the digital economy. For more detailed information, you can refer to the official legislation here.
    Legislation.gov.uk