Daily Lessons from Life 18-20 September 2013 - Guide dogs not welcome in Singapore?

"Guide dogs not welcome in Singapore? - Sep 20, 2013 The New Paper SINGAPORE - Many basically don't care that guide dogs are allowed in public places here, or do they? "If it was not a regular place within my normal routine that I was going to, there would be a 50-50 chance - sometimes even a 70-30 chance - that we would be rejected," psychotherapist Cassandra Chiu, 34, said. She was talking about gaining entry into malls, shops and even eateries with her guide dog Esme, a labrador." I was watching a repeat telecast of Talking Point or something like that on CNA about: 'Are we doing enough for the disabled people in Singapore?' where not only the blind or visually impaired person with guide dog but also the wheel-chaired bound people, etc were involved too. Lessons for me are: 1. we are improving in this area. The pace could have been faster for the affected people and their care-givers and/or care-giving animals like the guide dogs; 2. it is sweet to learn that the Malay lady has stated very clearly that while she would not pet the dog due to religious reason, she has absolutely no problem with the presence of the guide dog as it is providing assistance to the visually impaired lady. This is most encouraging and reflect the right awareness, compassion and the proper understanding of the religion; 3. besides guide dogs, perhaps the most inconvenient people who rely on public transportation are the wheel-chaired bound and the old and weak commuters. The public transportation companies are doing their parts, the government agencies that supervise and create handicapped friendly policies are doing their parts, just that the pace of implementation and the coverage can be faster and wider. It is 1 day too long for the physically handicapped people to face an obstacle in their way to a bus stop or MRT station. Besides the facilities, the education and awareness of the people servicing the handicapped commuters and consumers are also needed to be on par. Patience, understanding and care will go a long way to making Singapore a friendly place for the disabled people. We Will get there. Soon.