Press Editorial: Govt. app makes it simple for people of determination

DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jul, 2018) A UAE daily has praised a government application introduced at the Dubai Metro to help guide blind commuters.

"The smart initiative at the Dubai Metro is the latest in the bouquet of facilities offered by Dubai to make the lives of the people of determination less cumbersome," Khaleej Times wrote in its today's editorial.

The technology launched on a pilot basis at the Rashidiya Metro Station guides such people after pre-configuring the phone with their path at the station, starting from the entry point to the carriage. A first of its kind in the region, the technology is offered with a package of benefits that includes conversion of written information into voice. The UAE has legislation to protect the rights of the people of determination, guaranteeing them a dignified life. Preference in healthcare services and special education programmes to ensure all students reach their full potential are some of the country's strategies to achieve this goal. The Ministry of Education has, therefore, made it mandatory for public schools to integrate such students into mainstream schooling.

The paper went on to say, that UAE also provides equal and fair employment opportunities to the people of determination among Emiratis.

Much more is done in the form of special driving courses, free and reserved parking facilities and a disabled card that entails them free vehicle registration and Salik card. "The country as a whole is disabled-friendly with every building, entertainment facility and transport service designed to be easily accessible by them," the Dubai-based newspaper said.

Wheelchair ramps saying 'people of determination' instead of 'disabled' as in other parts of the world are in itself a testament to the equality accorded to this group of people, the paper noted.

"The term launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is part of his national strategy for empowering people with disabilities. Leaving no stone unturned may sound cliched, but this is precisely what the UAE, particularly Dubai, is doing when it comes to facilitating better living conditions for such people. It is part of the vision and determination of the nation's leaders to make the UAE a land of equal opportunities," the paper concluded.