Personal Reflections
First up i would like to apologize for my overdue reflections.. kind of put it off for awhile. >.<
Personally, the thing that struck me most when we were touring the compound of the school, were the constant sniggering of the other boys and the jokes being made at the childrens’ expense. i mean things like, “eh chaoyang got dsa leh! to Woodbridge!”
this made me realise how insensitive some RI boys can be, and most importantly how much the society needs to see them for who they really are, and not think of them as “freaks of nature”. after all, we are all human beings.
Managed to find the article we discussed during the RE period on the 27th.
Four ways Govt can help the disabled Section: Home
By: LEE HUI CHIEH
Publication: The Straits Times 27/02/2008
Page: H7
No. of words: 656
BUDGET DEBATE - DAY 2
THE disabled and others with special needs “have been forgotten” in this year’s Budget, Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) said in Parliament yesterday.
She pointed out the lack of measures to help them, even though “the problems faced by the average citizen are magnified in the lives of those with disabilities”.
She laid out their woes:
They have problems paying for education, as programmes for special-needs children are costly;
Their health-care expenses are likely to be higher, as medical insurance schemes do not cover conditions related to their disabilities;
As adults, they find it difficult to secure jobs due to discrimination and competition from able-bodied foreigners willing to settle for lower pay.
For all these reasons, the rising costs of transport, health care and other necessities have hit the disabled harder than the able-bodied, she said.
Ms Phua has an autistic son and is the president of a voluntary group, the Autism Resource Centre.
She suggested four ways in which the Government could help the disabled.
First, relax the income criteria for subsidies in schemes such as early intervention programmes for special-needs children and day care for the disabled.
Two years ago, the Government announced that it would reduce subsidies in two programmes, targeted at disabled children, for families earning more than $2,500 a month by 2010.Families earning more than $3,500 a month will not get any subsidies by then.
Second, exempt community hospitals, day activity centres and special schools run by voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) from having to collect the goods and services tax (GST).
Now, those organisations with revenues exceeding
$1 million are required to levy GST on their services.
Ms Phua said: “There is no reason why VWOs with the vision and capability to grow their operations should have to charge their clients more due to the kick-in of GST.”
Third, give a one-time top-up to the Central Provident Fund accounts of the disabled, or to a new trust fund for the disabled to be set up in the coming months.
Fourth, cut down on the “administrative jungle” that stands in the way of the disabled who want to get help.
Ms Phua suggested that a case manager from a central aid agency – such as a community development council or family service centre – be appointed to help the disabled apply for aid.
She also proposed that all agencies providing such help use a master application form, so that those applying for aid do not have to fill up different sets of forms and go for numerous interviews.
She also responded to the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan, who said recently that more aid for the disabled might encourage more people to claim they, too, were disabled in a bid to get these benefits.
She said: “We must not let the fear of being taken advantage of prevent us from doing what is right.”
Checks, such as requiring certification by approved doctors, can be put in place to minimise abuse, she said.
Mr Edmund Wan, executive director of the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, agreed that CPF top-ups would be a good idea, but said that these should be targeted at the disabled in need, not all disabled people.
He also asked that those who are disabled and apply for assistance be given more help than able-bodied individuals in the same financial situation.
He suggested that the Government find means other than CPF top-ups to help disabled people who do not work and do not have CPF accounts.
Hear from the MPs, log on to www.straitstimes.com for our free video news
i think this really shows how much importance the government regards the handicapped in Singapore - not much.
Sean..
Leave a Reply