The CPwD Capital Investment Fund is a reserve of funding established by the CPA Secretariat in 2021 with the aim of raising the accessibility of CPA member Parliaments.
The priorities for the Fund include, but are not limited to, improving the physical accessibility of Parliaments or the procurement of assistive technology.
• Installation of a ramp(s) with a low gradient, allowing a person to access a higher level in a building.
• Provision of transcription or sign language interpretation of live parliamentary proceedings.
• Enabling vocal commands, braille, and/or screen readers on computers to allow persons with visual impairments to easily use them.
• Installation of automated doors, making entering a parliament building easier for persons with mobility impairments.
• The conversion of documentation into easy-read formats for people with sight impairments.
• Procurement of benches/resting areas in long corridors, allowing those that use crutches to rest.
• Widening of doorways, security barriers, and/or lifts for access to wheelchair users.
• Construction/development of restrooms for persons with disabilities.
• Improvement of access to a parliament’s website (e.g. text-to-speech features).
• Expansion/development of parking for persons with disabilities.
• Provision of hearing loops in meeting rooms to facilitate the participation of persons with hearing impairments.
These examples are merely illustrative in showing the type of proposals that will be considered. The proposals are then selected based on suitability and how far they contribute towards the aims and priorities of the Network in enabling the effective and full participation of persons with disabilities in representative democracy. Proposals for the fund to cover costs as part of a larger project involving other entities will be considered.
In 2022, the Parliament of Jamaica made several changes to the physical infrastructure of Gordon House, the Parliament building, to better accommodate wheelchair users.
The improvements, which include installing widened, automated doors and a new bathroom specifically for wheelchair users, were part-funded by the CPwD Capital Investment Fund.
The Fund has grown for 2023 to a total of 60,000 GBP, from which Branches may claim up to 10,000 GBP to support efforts within a Parliament toward improving the accessibility of the institution.
It should be noted that, though tasks involved in a project may go into 2024, all funds supported by the Capital Investment Fund must be spent in 2023. It should also be noted that the Secretariat expects that the necessary approvals required within the Parliament submitting the proposal, will have been received by the time the project's implementation starts this year.
To commence the process of receiving bids for the CPwD network’s Capital Investment Fund in 2023, please complete the below form to submit your application.
