General News

Bosley: Help those with disabilities

United Blind Persons of Fiji yesterday ended their White Cane safety campaign which was aimed at creating an awareness on on the use of cane.

The campaign began on the International White Cane Safety Day on October 15.

The day is celebrated annually to promote white cane as a positive means of independence and mobility for the partially blind or blind people.

President of Fiji Employees Federation Digby Bossley, who was the chief guest of the closing ceremony, said society does not fully embrace and assist those with disabilities.

"People who are fully or partly blind are also not accepted despite the fact that these people can contribute to society and should not be treated as "outcasts"," he said.

Mr Bossley said he was pleased that the society focused on preventing blindness in the workplaces by having employers and employees practice safe working habits.

Vice president of the association Lanieta Tuimabu said they felt the attitude of the public was changing.

She said they were promoting perfect participation, equality and public awareness on issues of totally blind and vision-impaired persons in Fiji.

"Members of the public have to foster more positive attitude and become more inclusive in their thinking and less discriminatory in their treatment of persons with disabilities in Fiji," she said.

She said theirs was the only body in the country which was established by blind people themselves to promote and address issues that concerns them.

Ms Tuimabu said the association was an advocacy group targeting blind and vision-impaired persons.

She said the group has about 200 members all around Fiji.

Additional Information

Country: Fiji
Website: http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=132682
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Source: Mail from: D_and_d_sub@mail.jetro.go.jp
When: 04/11/2009