Many people with disabilities have contributed to society. American President Franklin D. Roosevelt though impaired by polio has been a great leader of the United States. Ludwig von Beethoven, a classical composer who became deaf in later years has contributed great compositions in the history of music and who would not recognize the blind singer Steve Wonder. These people and many others have in some way contributed to the development and growth of our country.

Development in a sense can only be measured in the way a country treats its most disadvantaged members. A successful society is, basically, about the people who contribute to its development and how the quality of their lives improves over time. Prisons officer Graeme Lewis, an exceptional member of the society, found out what development has to offer to someone with a disability.

Fifteen years ago, Lewis was shot in the spine by an escaped convict. This occurrence left him paraplegic. Nevertheless, when he returned to work he was given administrative duties. Because of his remarkable work, he was recognized as the most outstanding officer in the prison service in 2000 and two years later he learned that he was being considered for promotion to prisons supervisor. However, a few months later he received a letter informing him that in relation to his physical condition his selection for promotion was difficult to justify as compared to his colleagues. This clearly presented a case of discrimination and later the Public Services Commission upon realizing that the case was hopeless changed its decision and promoted Lewis.

Over all, this case tells employers both in the public and private sector of the importance of giving disabled workers a chance to prove themselves and that they are also entitled to be treated with as much respect and sensitivity as everyone else.

We are living in the 21st century with modern technology and improved education. With technology making great strides in producing user friendly machineries, the disabled persons can be equally skilled and trained like any other employees and capable of operating machines in the industries. But the obvious situation is people with disabilities are still at the bottom of the food chain. The bottom line is, workers with disabilities are still not given an equal opportunity in the employment sector. It is probably when disabled people are given the opportunity to prove themselves that we will know that we have advanced toward development.