Deputies highlight plight of the disabled

DEPUTIES yesterday tried to enter the plenum in a wheelchair in an effort to demonstrate the difficulties faced by handicapped people in accessing Parliament.
The move was an initiative by Green Party deputy George Perdikis, in a campaign to highlight the lack of accessibility to public buildings.

Only one of four deputies who tried, Adamos Adamou of AKEL, managed to overcome the steep ramp leading to the plenum.

However, the demonstration was not welcomed by all.

There were murmurs between deputies that the demonstration was a charade not becoming the status of the participants.

United Democrats deputy Antroulla Vassilliou was more vocal, saying it was an unacceptable display that offended handicapped persons.

On the sidelines, DISY deputy Nicos Tornaritis, who himself unsuccessfully tried to ascend the ramp, handed out a letter he had written last year to the president of the House, Demetris Christofias, concerning the problems that handicapped people faced in trying to access the building.

In his letter, dated October 27, 2002, Tornaritis stressed the ramp at the entrance of the plenum was too steep and warned that anyone trying to enter on a wheelchair faced the danger of slipping backwards and overturning.

“Some people with diminished arm strength cannot scale the ramp without the help of another person, thus eliminating the purpose of the ramp,” the letter said.