Deva Concerned Over of the Rights of the Persons with Sight Impaired

(January, 09, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The two gazette notifications issued pronouncing the holding of open competition examinations for recruitment to Sri Lanka Administrative Service Class III for the years 2006 and 2007 have vetoed the rights of the sight impaired graduates. At the meeting held by the National Council for the Persons with Disabilities on the 20th of December 2007, it was unanimously declared that this course of action contravenes the provisions of the UN Convention for equal right for the Persons with Disabilities, signed by 170 countries including Sri Lanka.

Two sight impaired graduates have already been deprived of the chance of sitting the open competition examination for recruitment to Sri Lanka Administrative Examination held in the year 2006 through negative defining of this gazette notification.

Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, has directed his attention to the importance of updating the gazette notifications ridding of the terms and conditions unfavourable for qualified persons with disabilities.

The meeting was attended by Ministry officials including V. Jegarasasingam, the Secretary. The lapse in the gazette depriving the rights of the persons with sight impaired was brought to the notice of his meeting by S. L. Hettiarachchi, a member councillor and the Executive Director Sri Lanka Council for the Blind.