Vehicle licences for hearing-impaired

Priyanka Kurugala

The Social Services Ministry will present a Cabinet paper to get approval for issuing light vehicle driving licences for hearing impaired individuals withing two weeks, considering requests of the Sri Lanka Central Federation for the Deaf, Social Services Minister Felix Perera said.

He was addressing the media at the Social Services Ministry at Battaramulla yesterday. ‘The ministry will create a successful communication method for the hearing impaired people. It is the duty of the authorities to make a systematic communication method for hearing impaired individuals, he said.

According to census and statistics of 2001, seven percent of the population are disabled. Around 70,000 are hearing impaired individuals. It is believed that the number has increased from 0.3 million to 0.4 million, he said.

The ministry will introduce a special identity card with a logo for these individuals. The government will provide three percent of job opportunities for the disabled. Sri Lanka Central Federation of the Deaf chairman H G Sarath Kumara, Vice Chairman Anil Jayawardana, and members of the society presented their requests and experiences. Sign Language Interpreter and Coordinator Bernardine De Crues translated their presentations.

Social Services Ministry Secretary RMS Ratnayake, Additional Secretary Christy Frenando, Office for the Disabled Director Callistus Jayamanna, National Elders’ Secretariat Director J. Krishnamoorthy and Social Services Director Lal Ratnaweera also participated.