News and issues on the disabled 17 Oct 2024
Azmi Anuar
Contents
1. UrduPoint Pakistan - Protecting Rights Of Visually Impaired Persons Essential To Make Them Productive Citizens: Ayaz
2. Inman News - Lundy provides voice search for vision-impaired buyers
3. ETV Bharat India - White Cane Safety Day 2024: Raising Awareness About The Tool And Symbol Among Masses
4. City Hub Australia - International White Cane Day: Creating Accessibility & Reducing Disability Stigma
5. Magz TEMPO Indonesia - People with Disabilities and Transjakarta Buses
6. Irish Examiner - Visually impaired students find school 'a difficult and isolating experience', Dáil committee told
7. Barbados Today - Blind, visually impaired call for urgent improvement to accessibility in Warrens
8. Egypt Today - Egyptian government details services provided to visually-impaired individuals on 'White Wand Day'
9. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday - Mom threatens to sue State over aide for visually-impaired boy
10. Business Travel News - Hilton Partners to Assist Visually Impaired Guests
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1. UrduPoint Pakistan - Protecting Rights Of Visually Impaired Persons Essential To Make Them Productive Citizens: AyazISLAMABAD, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Oct, 2024) Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Monday said that the white cane is a symbol of independence, confidence, and freedom for those with visual impairments.
While paying tribute to the courage and resilience of visually impaired persons on the occasion of White Cane Safety Day,
he said that this day serves as an encouragement for all of us to support and empower visually impaired individuals and include them in the national mainstream.
The Speaker emphasized that visually impaired individuals are an important part of our society, and ensuring their well-being and empowerment is our collective responsibility.
"By harnessing their potential, we can turn visually impaired persons into productive and active citizens," he added.
Ayaz Sadiq stressed the need to take steps to utilize their abilities more effectively and enable them to play a vital role in social life, allowing them to live with dignity and contribute as valuable members of society.
He further added that if visually impaired persons are provided with equal opportunities in education, employment, and other sectors, they can significantly contribute to the development and progress of society.
The Speaker remarked that White Cane Safety Day is a moment to renew our commitment to safeguarding the rights of visually impaired persons and making every effort to improve their lives.
He affirmed that Pakistan’s Parliament is committed to ensuring the protection of special persons' rights and making their lives easier through effective legislation.
Additionally, the Speaker noted that the National Assembly has prepared the Constitution of Pakistan in Braille and made its website accessible for visually impaired persons.
He also highlighted that the National Assembly Secretariat building has been made accessible to persons with disabilities.
The Speaker reiterated that the National Assembly would continue to play an active role in the welfare and protection of the rights of visually impaired persons.
He underscored the need for providing visually impaired individuals with modern technologies, stating that such technologies can greatly improve their quality of life.
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2. Inman News - Lundy provides voice search for vision-impaired buyers14 Oct 2024
Lundy, which launched into voice-based home search to assist visually impaired homebuyers, has signed an agreement to work with Barcelona, Spain’s Restb.ai, an industry leader in computer vision-based artificial intelligence, Inman learned in an exclusive press release.
Lundy’s application, Finding Homes Pro, works in close concert with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant to deliver listing information in response to detailed, natural-language-based search. By integrating with Restb.ai’s proven AI, Lundy’s application should quickly enhance its overall accuracy in search returns, including being more specific about home characteristics specific to the needs of visually impaired homebuyers.
Restb..ai won the Inman Innovator Award for “Top Technology” in 2023.
Multiple Listing Services already deploying Restb.ai’s image data tools will be able to provide a Lundy account to members, according to the release. Restb.ai has been making inroads with MLS providers in recent years, which rely on its property photo software to quickly populate listing sheets, identify non-compliant photos and more accurately create listing descriptions, among other long-range benefits, such as identifying marketing trends.
Lundy users’ verbal searches will return data from Restb.ai’s more than 700 search insights, which will make property discussions more informed, faster and in tune with buyers’ needs. The more often a search is engaged, the more intelligent the return.
Inman reported in September that the computer vision software firm Restb.ai expanded its reach to 17 new multiple listing services in New York, Rhode Island, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, California and British Columbia during the first half of 2024, growing its reach to more than 720,000 MLS members across the U.S. and Canada.
Inman reviewed Lundy initially in 2023 and again in spring 2024.
“Upon its initial launch last year, Finding Homes was limited by the search fields of its partner MLSs, a verbal version of what most do today to narrow down options. Finding Homes provides a respite from dependence for those unable to scroll, type, click or view online tours like the majority of us do, simple mundane chores we don’t think twice about performing. No person wants to rely on another to do that for them; it’s constricting,” the review said.
With the direct connection to Restb.ai’s AI, Lundy’s reach into its market should scale rapidly.
“Our mission is to provide the most comprehensive search engine available by voice to ensure the homebuying journey is accessible to everyone,” said Justin Lundy, CEO of Lundy, Inc., in the release. “By joining forces with Restb.ai to leverage their market-leading computer vision technology, we’re dramatically advancing our efforts at Lundy to make voice search a staple feature for every MLS. Together, we’re setting a new standard for accessibility and user-friendly technology.”
Lundy’s value proposition is rooted in its founder’s personal experience with the challenges it aims to solve, and the Centers for Disease Control backs him.
The organization’s 2022 National Health Interview Survey found that more than 50 million American adults experience some degree of vision loss, including nearly four million individuals who struggle to see even with corrective lenses and 340,000 who are blind. The report also stated that just under 46 million adults have trouble with their vision, even with glasses.
About its latest collaboration, Restb.ai’s General Manager of MLS, said it marks a “significant step forward” for the industry.
“It helps MLSs unlock the full power of our computer vision and paves the way for AI-powered search tools to become an integral part of the home buying experience,” he said. “This is a great example of two complementary technologies coming together to better serve the customer; the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.”
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3. ETV Bharat India - White Cane Safety Day 2024: Raising Awareness About The Tool And Symbol Among Masses15 Oct 2024
New Delhi: White Cane Safety Day is observed on October 15 every year to create awareness about the importance of White Cane among the masses. While people who are visually impaired represent the white cane as a symbol of their independence and mobility, the tool is now a representation of freedom, and confidence.
White cane is not just a tool for visually impaired persons but it gives them freedom to move around freely and completes daily tasks.
According to the White House website, by joint resolution approved on October 6, 1964 (Public Law 88-628, as amended), the Congress authorized October 15 of each year as “White Cane Safety Day,” which is recognized today as “Blind Americans Equality Day,” to honor the contributions of blind and low vision Americans.
The National Federation of the Blind said that for blind people, the white cane is an essential tool that gives us the ability to achieve a full and independent life. “It allows us to move freely and safely from place to place—whether it's at work, at school, or around our neighborhoods,” it further said.
The National Federation of the Blind, in its website, states while it was not uncommon throughout history for blind people to use a stick or cane to navigate, society largely didn't accept that blind people could travel by themselves until recently.
In the 1960s, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) became a leader in fighting for the rights of the blind and in pioneering innovative training programs using the white cane. The United States Congress adopted a joint resolution in 1964 designating October 15 of each year as 'White Cane Safety Day' and recognizing that white canes enable blind people to travel safely and independently.
NFB further mentions that while the white cane does keep blind people safe (because drivers and other pedestrians can easily see it), it is also a tool that blind people use to explore and navigate our environment. For this reason, the emphasis of “White Cane Safety Day has shifted over time away from safety, and toward independence and equality. We believe that it's important to celebrate this history and recognise the white cane as the tool that allows the blind to come and go on [our] own” as President Lyndon Johnson said back in 1964.
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in India, is the nodal department to look after all the development agenda of Persons with Disabilities of the country.
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4. City Hub Australia - International White Cane Day: Creating Accessibility & Reducing Disability Stigma15 Oct 2024
October 15 is International White Cane Day (IWCD) which is celebrated across Australia and the United States as a day to bring awareness to those who live with blindness or vision impairment, ensuring their confidence, safety, and independence as they move across the world.
The day also serves as a moment to educate other members of the community about issues that are faced by people with disabilities across the country and what measures to take to best support them – from reducing stigma, to improving accessibility, and much more.
IWCD was established in 1964 in the United States by former President Lyndon B. Johnson and has been adopted internationally since.
The white cane stands as a symbol of independence and achievement for the blind and visually impaired.
Andy shares her story on International White Cane Day
For vision-impaired Andy Hampson, her decision to start using a white cane came after she experienced a tragic yet preventable accident: she was hit by a car reversing out of a driveway while walking her regular route.
Hampson had avoided using a white cane for years, held back by the stigma and a desire to fit in.
“It is very difficult to stand out because of your disability, and it took a while to accept it,” says Hampson.
Now, Hampson walks proudly with her white cane – which she has named “Audrey” after her orientation and mobility specialist from Vision Australia.
Once she began using her white cane, she stopped apologising for her disability – which Hampson said she had spent her whole life doing. She said her whole life changed once she began her cane: “the path just opens up”.’
How accessible is Sydney?
The white cane, sometimes painted white and red, ensures that the individual holding the cane is more visible to other pedestrians and drivers and can easily traverse busy areas safely. However, that does not mean that there are no obstacles faced by people who are vision impaired or blind, and other community members who are people with disability.
Sydney lacks much tactile paving and accessibility aids, including in train stations, crosswalks, streets, and shopping centres.
Fiona Bridger wrote for Achieve Australia that despite Sydney making the list of the top 500 cities for accessibility worldwide, there is no shortage of accessibility problems that continue to inconvenience and endanger people with disabilities.
A lack of dropped curbs, shortage of ramps, few accessible toilets, steps up to public transport, and obstacles on footpaths make life very difficult for wheelchair users such as Bridger.
“Keeping footpaths clear of obstacles is a key thing that makes it possible for people who are blind or have low vision to be independent just like anyone else,” says Vision Australia’s Chris Edwards.
Members of Guide Dogs Australia were surveyed and the results showed that over 90% of respondents consider unexpected obstacles such as shopping trolleys, garbage bins, cracks in the pavement, and cars parked incorrectly as the most hazardous to white cane users.
“Things like shared e-scooters being left in the middle of a footpath or outdoor dining being in the wrong location can make it close to impossible for people who are blind or have low vision to navigate safely,” said Edwards.
“Learning to use a white cane is a significant skill when it comes to people who are blind or have low vision being active and independent, but it doesn’t solve every issue our community faces in navigating public spaces,” said Edwards.
However, there have been many improvements made in Sydney. Stemming from 2014 and 2016 pilot projects, more than 2,100 braille and raised letter signs have been installed across the city.
The City of Sydney consulted many members of the community and did comprehensive on-site testing with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and Vision Australia to ensure the efficacy of the signage.
While there are improvements being made for those in the disability community who are vision-impaired or blind, there are still many more accessibility implementations that need to be made in Sydney in order to ensure the safety and independence of other people with disabilities.
“Let’s hope NSW Government and councils continue their efforts for greater inclusivity and clear all the remaining hurdles so PWD can roam through Sydney unfettered – wild and free,” writes Bridger.
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5. Magz TEMPO Indonesia - People with Disabilities and Transjakarta Buses14 Oct 2024
IT is not easy for people with disabilities to travel independently using public transport in Jakarta. Tempo traveled with individuals ranging from blind persons to wheelchair users to observe just how disability-friendly the city’s transportation really is.
Maharetta Maha, who is visually impaired, can reach the nearest bus stop from her home on Jalan Raya Pos Pengumben in Srengseng, Kembangan, West Jakarta. However, she must cross two major roads and navigate an uneven sidewalk riddled with holes.
Using her white cane, she constantly swept left and right throughout her journey to detect any obstacles. “If I walk alone, it’s difficult,” she told Tempo on Wednesday, September 18, while walking on the sidewalk toward the bus stop.
The sidewalk lacked tactile paving—also known as guiding blocks—small bumps on the pavement to assist blind individuals. Without these, Retta—the nickname of Maharetta—could only guess the location of the bus stop. “There should be a sign or indication that helps us know where we are,” she said.
Two bus routes serve the stop, namely Transjakarta 8D (Blok M-Joglo route) and Mikrotrans Jak 53 (Grogol-Pos Pengumben). When Retta’s bus arrived, she slowly climbed aboard the small Transjakarta 8D bus. Though the bus was not crowded, all the seats were taken. A passenger stood up to offer Retta his seat.
The Transjakarta 8D route has 27 stops. Retta boarded at the ninth stop, planning to disembark at the 16th to transfer to a bus heading for Kebon Jeruk. However, since there were no announcements of the stop names, she became confused. “Where are we?” she asked.
When the bus stopped at her destination, it was too close to the entrance of the ITC Permata Hijau stop. Retta had to step cautiously onto the platform. A Transjakarta employee quickly assisted her, guiding her through the gate and onto her next Transjakarta bus.
Retta’s experience on Transjakarta Corridor 8, which runs from Lebak Bulus to Pasar Baru, was more pleasant. The stops were announced before each arrival. At the Kebon Jeruk stop, another staff member helped her exit the bus station.
Shortly after Retta left, another visually impaired passenger, Risma Ulyna, arrived. The 50-year-old had traveled over 20 kilometers from Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta, a two-hour journey, to the Anak Terang Ministri Foundation Home for the Blind in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta.
Risma said she was not worried about traveling alone because she knew the route well. “I attend community activities there twice a week,” she explained.
To reach her destination, she transferred to Mikrotrans Jak 30 on the Grogol-Meruya route. Around 9am, she boarded the bus and comfortably sat among the other passengers. After 10 minutes, she informed the JakLingo bus driver of her stop.
When the free bus reached her stop, the driver informed Risma. However, the bus was too close to the sidewalk, obstructing her exit. Risma paused for a moment, then took her folded cane out of her bag and used it to assess the condition of the road. She walked slowly along the sidewalk, which had many holes, before arriving at her destination, the home for the blind, where she was welcomed by many of her colleagues.
Damaged sidewalks were a common complaint among the blind individuals we interviewed for this report. Aldo Naldi Ramli, 65, explained that many sidewalks are uneven, full of holes, and lack tactile paving. If they are even, they are often blocked by street vendors or illegally parked vehicles. “The transportation is fine, but the problem lies with the sidewalks,” he told us at the Anak Terang Ministri Foundation.
Aldo, who lives in Ciputat, lost his sight 40 years ago due to an accident. He is accustomed to traveling alone. In addition to meeting with members of the blind community, he offers massage services and trains aspiring masseurs. “My students are not only those who cannot see,” he said.
Aldo spoke about his experiences accessing public transport in Jakarta and the surrounding regions, from Transjakarta and the KRL Commuter Line to the Jakarta MRT. He noted that government-owned public transportation is improving, particularly with the addition of facilities for people with disabilities, such as free access to all Transjakarta services. He obtained his first free travel card at the Transjakarta office in Cawang, South Jakarta, in 2017, and renews it every year at Jakarta Town Hall.
His favorite Transjakarta routes include Corridor 8 (Lebak Bulus-Pasar Baru) and Corridor 13 (Puri Beta Ciledug-Tendean), which he uses frequently. He knows many of the staff at the bus stops along these routes, and they recognize him. The Kebon Jeruk stop on Jalan Panjang, West Jakarta, is one of his favorites due to its accessible layout and more attentive staff. “They’re all familiar with us from the home for the blind because we often use this stop,” he said.
His other favorite stops include the integrated CSW stop in South Jakarta and the Juanda stop in Central Jakarta, where there are many friendly staff members.
On that day, Aldo was using the Kebon Jeruk stop. He disembarked from Transjakarta Corridor 8, which departs from Lebak Bulus, and then switched to Mikrotrans Jak 30, heading for the home for the blind.
Aldo believes that the service provided at Kebon Jeruk should be the standard across all Transjakarta bus stops, as staff in other locations are sometimes disrespectful to people with disabilities. He referred to these individuals as ‘particular’. “These particular individuals assist people by pulling on their clothes instead of holding their arms,” he said.
Aldo had a negative experience with a staff member who was not friendly toward blind people. Although he was being guided, the staff member’s position was incorrect, which made it difficult for Aldo to navigate with his cane. “So, I stepped on a hole,” he said. He noted that many people he knows have had similar negative experiences because staff members do not understand the proper way to assist blind individuals.
He also has stops on his blacklist, such as Tomang, which is small, full of steps, and often lacks staff, and the Sunter Utara stop, which has no staff and complicated access. “It’s dangerous for blind people who walk alone and are unfamiliar with the area,” Aldo said.
Another common issue is buses that do not stop exactly in front of the door. As a result, blind individuals often do not realize there is an obstacle in their path. Aldo once nearly collided with a pole while disembarking from a bus. “Luckily, another passenger pulled me back. At the time, there were no staff available to assist me,” he said.
Despite these issues, Aldo has high praise for the KRL Commuter Line, which he uses to travel from Juanda station in Central Jakarta to Depok or Citayam in West Java. He finds the staff of the Kereta Api Indonesia subsidiary friendly and helpful.
As soon as he enters the station, an employee at the gate would ask where he is going, and another staff member accompanies him to the train. He was unable to comment on the service of the Jakarta MRT because he has only used it twice during the trial period in 2019.
On another occasion, Tempo accompanied a wheelchair user, Fitrina, on an MRT trip from the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout station to Lebak Bulus. A colleague helped her board the train as no staff were available to provide a boarding ramp. “Sometimes there’s a ramp, sometimes there isn’t,” Fitrina remarked.
At Lebak Bulus station, a staff member helped her disembark. However, Fitrina faced another inconvenience when she wanted to use the elevator to go down. She had to wait a long time due to a long line of people, and many passengers rushed for the lift as soon as they disembarked from the train.
Yurlina, another wheelchair user, has also experienced difficulties with lifts. The 50-year-old lives in Cililitan, East Jakarta, and uses the Transjakarta service from Cawang together with an assistant. She noted that many stops lack lifts. “For example, there are lifts in some places, but not in others,” she said when Tempo contacted her.
Lifts are essential for wheelchair users. Yurlina noted that the lift at the Cawang UKI stop has been out of service for a long time and remains unrepaired. At other stops, sloping platforms are risky for wheelchair users.
Despite these shortcomings, Transjakarta remains a crucial mode of transport for elderly passengers like 60-year-old Supono, who works as a parking attendant in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta. Every day, he travels from his home in Klender, East Jakarta by Transjakarta bus. “I have to change bus eight times,” he said.
Tempo traveled with him from the Blok M stop in South Jakarta one day in September this year. Shuffling along, he raised his hand to signal the Transjakarta Blok M-Kota number 5C bus, which was just about to pull away. The driver, noticing the elderly man stumbling, reopened the bus door. Supono rode the chilly, air-conditioned bus to Monas, then continued his journey on another Transjakarta 5C bus, heading for the Cililitan Shopping Centre (PGC) in East Jakarta.
“All the Transjakarta facilities are pretty good,” said Supono. He enjoys using public transport more now because he has a special senior card, which allows him to travel for free.
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6. Irish Examiner - Visually impaired students find school 'a difficult and isolating experience', Dáil committee told15 Oct 2024
Advocates attending the session highlighted challenges faced by students with blindness or vision impairment when it comes to school and exams.
In a statement to the committee, Vision Ireland said it was aware of many examples of students with blindness or vision impairment for whom the experience in education was positive.
"However, we are also aware that many students find participation in education a difficult and isolating experience."
Masters student at Maynooth University Rafiat Agbona told the committee about her personal experience of transitioning from school to university as a blind person.
Ms Agbona was not born blind, having lost her eyesight at 12-years-old during the summer before starting secondary school.
"I was under the impression that my secondary school would be prepared for my arrival, as they had other students with disabilities there, whereas that unintentionally became more of an issue for me later on.”
She told the committee how she was assigned a special needs assistant [SNA] to assist with reading and writing. “I didn't know how much of a hindrance this would be for my future,” she told the committee.
Other students were able to socialise and get to know people, whereas I was stuck to an SNA 24/7.
In her own time, she learned how to use a white cane and she learned braille. “Over time, I had to also argue for different things, such as going to the shops during lunch like every other student, or even staying after school.”
Ms Agbona told the committee she was also “strongly” discouraged from taking part in transition year.
“I was told that it would be really difficult for me, and all the activities I wouldn't be able to join in. Now, looking back, I realised that they just didn't want me to participate because they saw me taking day trips as a burden.”
While in school, she was also advised if she wanted to attend a school trip abroad, her mother or SNA would have to attend with her.
The committee heard visually impaired students still often face barriers when it comes to attending school trips. Toni O’Dwyer, manager with Vision Ireland, told the committee how things have not changed since Ms Agbona was in secondary school.
“My first call at quarter past eight this morning was a 15-year-old boy who was not allowed to go on a trip abroad because he hasn't an SNA to go with him, or the school won’t pay for the SNA, so he doesn't even have the option of having a parent go with them.”
The quality of modified exam papers for visually impaired students is “really low”, according to Eithne Walsh, parent and head of communications with Féach, which supports parents of blind and vision impaired students.
"We need to move on to papers that can be accessed by digital readers," Ms Walsh said.
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7. Barbados Today - Blind, visually impaired call for urgent improvement to accessibility in Warrens15 Oct 2024
The spokesman for the blind and visually impaired community on Monday called for urgent improvements to disability access in the Warrens business district, a hub of retail businesses and public offices.
Granville Mr DJ Carter, president of the National United Society of the Blind (NUSB), pointed to several obstacles that hamper the mobility of people with visual impairments.
He was speaking to journalists as the NUSB and the National Disabilities Unit held a walk in the area to highlight the daily challenges faced by visually impaired individuals, ahead of White Cane Safety Day which is celebrated annually on October 15.
Carter said: “For instance, there are curb cuts at the sidewalks, so a wheelchair user would have difficulty getting onto the sidewalks as well. Even at pedestrian crossings, some sighted persons struggle, so you can imagine how much more challenging it is for visually impaired people. We would like to see audible stoplights installed, which would make life easier for everyone.”
The group – accompanied by members of the Lions Club of Bridgetown, the Barbados Defence Force, the Barbados Coast Guard, and the Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre – walked from the Massy car park to the Barracks building, through the PriceSmart car park, the Dome Mall, and back to the Massy car park.
After the event, NUSB Public Relations Officer Kerry-Ann Ifill highlighted several issues encountered along the route. “There are few to no zebra crossings and almost no curb cuts along the sidewalks. We also encountered grates with wide gaps, which are there for water runoff but pose a serious hazard for us. Our canes can get stuck, leading to injury or loss of the cane, as happened to one young woman near the airport.”
Responding to these concerns, Minister of People Empowerment Kirk Humphrey noted that the government is working to enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities.
“We need to address the gaps in policy and legislation. We’re retrofitting older buildings and making the roads more accessible. Some audio stoplights have already been installed, but we need to ensure that all lights in Barbados are equipped with audio signals,” he said.
Humphrey also revealed plans to collaborate with the Japanese government on further improvements, including the installation of tactile paving: “In Japan, there is a kind of tile that you can walk on if you’re blind so that you know where you’re going…. We’ve already started talking to the government of Japan about helping us provide some of those tiles.”
The minister acknowledged that the Warrens district was particularly challenging.
“As we walk around Warrens, the area probably wasn’t built for pedestrian traffic and it certainly wasn’t built for traffic of persons who were blind. It says to us in a very clear way that we have to improve our physical infrastructure,” Humphrey said, adding that the government would soon debate a policy in Parliament focusing on accessibility.
Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Disabilities, Edmund Hinkson, expressed his eagerness to participate in that debate and urged respect for parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities, a resource often misused by able-bodied individuals.
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8. Egypt Today - Egyptian government details services provided to visually-impaired individuals on 'White Wand Day'CAIRO – 15 October 2024: On the occasion of the White Wand Day, the Ministry of Social Solidarity released a statement detailing the services provided to visually-impaired individuals as 3,500 of those devices have been distributed.
As for university students, 2,000 laptops designed for that type of disability were granted, in addition to an allowance that costs LE900,000 per annum in total. Also, 60 white wands were given to school students.
An online employment platform – called Taahil (Arabic for qualification) - was launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology to help visually impaired individuals find jobs. The number of registered users has amounted to 900. The initiative is aimed at integrating with the vocational training courses delivered by the ministry to qualify those individuals for the job market.
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9. Trinidad and Tobago Newsday - Mom threatens to sue State over aide for visually-impaired boy15 Oct 2024
THE mother of a special-needs child is threatening to take the State to court over the Education Ministry's failure to provide him with an aide at primary school.
The mother is represented by attorney Gerald Ramdeen, who sent a pre-action protocol letter to the Attorney General on October 14. The AG was given seven days to respond.
However, Ramdeen said the matter should not go beyond the letter and he hoped for a favourable response to end the child’s suffering.
In the letter, Ramdeen said the boy’s mother intends to file a constitutional claim for redress to challenge the ministry’s failure to provide the boy with an aide since 2022.
He said it was urgent because the boy, 12, is preparing to write the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam next year.
Ramdeen said the boy was diagnosed with congenital cataracts in both eyes at birth. In 2014, he underwent a vitrectomy surgery and right and left cataract extraction. Vitrectomy is an eye surgery used to treat problems of the eye’s retina and vitreous body.
“Despite his tender age his mother has endeavoured to take all steps that she can afford to ensure that he, though differently abled can pursue his education.
“Her actions have not only been courageous but have been extraordinary and against all odds with regard particularly to the fact that she is a single parent.”
Ramdeen said the State had a duty to give the boy an aide.
An application was made for once since 2022, when the boy transferred to the School for Blind Children in Arouca.
“(Name called) is writing the SEA examination next year and his mother is very concerned that he is being deprived of the opportunity to receive a proper education and to prepare for this critical examination due to the lack of an aide.”
Ramdeen noted for fiscal 2025, the government allocated $7.3 billion to the Education Ministry.
Yet, he said, “a visually impaired child cannot get access to an aide to assist him in his educational pursuits.
“There can be no greater sign of the place that differently-abled children occupy in this country under this government.”
Ramdeen accused the government of not caring for differently-abled children.
“It is clear that in formulating the budget statement the needs of our differently-abled children were not at the forefront of the minister’s considerations.
“Their numbers are too small and their needs too unimportant to those who manage the resources of this country so theirs’ remain a voiceless unimportant minority to the Executive.”
He said his client was guaranteed the right to liberty.
“The right of a disabled child to pursue an education at a public school without any disadvantage is a right guaranteed under the liberty provision of section 4 (a) of the Constitution.”
The letter also said TT was a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, so the Government had a duty to provide aid to a child with visual disability while ensuring the child's best interest was a primary consideration.
Ramdeen said the government’s policy on the rights of the disabled was recognised in the Education Ministry’s inclusive education policy, the national policy on persons with disabilities, and the draft special education policy.
“These policy documents clearly outline the acceptance of the duty of the State to provide an aide to a child suffering from a medical condition.”
He referred to three students with congenital cataracts who received aides at the primary- and secondary-school levels.
The letter was also copied to the Education Minister and the ministry’s permanent secretary; the principal of the School for Blind Children; the St George East school supervisor; and the ministry’s Student Support Services Division.
“(Name called) has suffered tremendously due to his conditions, especially without the assistance of an aide; despite this, he has continued to persevere in pursuit of acquiring an education.
“The State has a recognised duty to ensure that this child is provided with all the resources to ensure that he suffers no disadvantage as a result of his conditions.
"In this crucial time in (name called) life, he continues to endure great frustration and unnecessary emotional and mental anguish by not receiving any assistance to aid in his development despite his best efforts.”
If the matter goes to trial, the child’s mother will seek several declarations and an injunction for an aide to be provided and compensation.
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10. Business Travel News - Hilton Partners to Assist Visually Impaired Guests15 Oct 2024
Hilton Worldwide has partnered with Be My Eyes, an app designed to assist the visually impaired, and will use live agents to help such travelers navigate participating hotels, the hotel company announced Tuesday.
Be My Eyes connects visually impaired people with volunteers who use live video to help them accomplish tasks and manage surroundings. Hilton has established brand-specific teams of agents to assist through the app visually impaired guests with navigating the property's layout and amenities, according to the hotel. Agents are part of Hilton's Reservation and Customer Care team, according to a Hilton spokesperson, and are located in "multiple locations across the U.S."
The spokesperson declined to specify the number of hotels that are participating in the partnership but noted it is available in all brands except NoMad, Graduate, Small Luxury Hotels of the World and the Autocamp camping brand.
Hilton said it is the first hotel company to partner with the app, and the spokesperson said there are no charges associated with the service.
Hilton last year began working with Be My Eyes to help improve the ability of the app's AI model to recognize hotel furniture and fixture, and this year expanded the partnership to train agents to help guide guests through video.
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This Google Group news service has been made possible by courtesy of the Society of the Blind in Malaysia