THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHY IS it that so many of us hearing-impaired citizens of Jamaica have been turned down in respect of employment? It's no fault of ours why we are hearing impaired (deaf), we cannot either blame it on our parents who may be unaware that such could have become of their offspring's lot in life.
I do think that our right to earn a living should not be taken for granted. Though we have had no definite responses to letter of applications taken from advertisements or sent to places we might know about; either it be the private of public sector, says to us, "Sorry we don't accept hearing-impaired for such and such job". Whether we are qualified or not, we do have the ability to master tasks in which we have competence and if we don't we are more than willing to be an apprentice on the job given that we acquire an allowance.
As I put it. It seemed as if in the eyes of the public/private sector, the society likewise deafness (hearing impairment) is a crime we have committed. We are human beings just as anyone else our difference rests with our ears but we use our eyes to observe everything around us; the loss of one of our senses does not make us much less optimistic than anyone else who may or may not fall under the category of physically disabled though I must admit that some of us may have physical problems, like vision impairment (but not totally); our hands are still there, we can move around; we even think for ourselves. "So what is our crime?" Why are we scorned as though we are criminals?"
We are as loving creatures and hardworking individuals as any businessmen/women. May I solicit the general public, the ministers and prominent business places that are willing to take a crucial turn, to allow us to obtain what we so crave. Without employment we cannot meet our demands. Family members ought to live their lives too, and not be forced to support us until we reach old-age.
I am, etc.,
L. MEREDITH STEWART
Greater Portmore
St. Catherine
