Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan says he will consider the issuance of drivers’ licences to the vulnerable group of hearing impaired persons.
His promise was made during an exclusive interview with Inews on Wednesday and comes mere days after deaf individuals staged a picketing exercise outside his Brickdam Office demanding that the right to drive.
Minister Ramjattan explained because of the special needs of those persons, measures would have to be put in place so that other drivers would be lenient towards them.
“We have to do it with conditionality…so when other drivers see them they can identify them as people with disabilities,” he stated.
Ramjattan said it is also important that deaf drivers be recognised by other road users including pedestrians and especially emergency vehicles such as ambulances.
He suggested that the vehicles driven by the hearing impaired can have special stickers or registration plates.
“It’s going to happen,” the Minister said, noting that he will be meeting with the Deaf Association of Guyana to discuss the way forward.
On Monday last, a group of persons from the Deaf Association of Guyana protested the Public Security Ministry, calling for drivers’ licences to be issued for them.
They said that the deaf should be given equal privileges as those who can hear and should not be discriminated against.
