Miss-Delectable
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- Apr 18, 2004
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BAHRAIN'S Shura Council yesterday became the first in the world to provide instantaneous live translations for the deaf and mute at its weekly meetings.
It could pave the way for people who are deaf and/or mute to be appointed as council members, since it would enable them to communicate with the others.
The service was launched at the council's session in the presence of a group of deaf and mute visitors.
A translator using sign language appeared for the first time yesterday on the council's screens.
The translations were also shown last night on Bahrain Television's edited highlights of the session and this will now be a regular service for dead and mute viewers.
It has taken six months to set up the system at the council.
It is also planning to have special chairs for handicapped visitors, in addition to Braille schedules of what's going on at the session for the blind.
The idea for the instantaneous translation was put forward by council public relations head Ahmed Saleh Mohammed in April.
It was immediately accepted by council chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh, who wanted first to see it tested.
This happened a month ago in a staged council meeting, which so impressed members they gave it the go-ahead, after months of preparations by the information technology department.
Mr Mohammed said yesterday that he was pleased with the members' response to the new project.
"The biggest problem was getting an instantaneous translator, but the Social Development Ministry provided us with one," he said.
"We had a mock session with members from the Bahrain Deaf and Mute Society, who were very happy with the initiative."
"Now, I am working with the services committee vice-chairman Dr Aysha Al Mubarak to get special chairs for the handicapped and organise schedules for the blind in Braille, which we are expecting to start next year."
Dr Al Mubarak said the council was the first organisation of its kind in the world to provide this sort of service.
She told councillors at yesterday's session that getting more people to become part of the democratic process was something excellent.
"Everyone should be allowed to know what's going on, even the deaf and the mute, who are forced to read it next day in the newspapers," she said.
"Now, this will even make it possible to appoint deaf and mute council members for the new term, since the council has the necessary systems for them.
"I am very happy to see this initiative, hoping the other two projects would be executed soon."
BAHRAIN'S Shura Council yesterday became the first in the world to provide instantaneous live translations for the deaf and mute at its weekly meetings.
It could pave the way for people who are deaf and/or mute to be appointed as council members, since it would enable them to communicate with the others.
The service was launched at the council's session in the presence of a group of deaf and mute visitors.
A translator using sign language appeared for the first time yesterday on the council's screens.
The translations were also shown last night on Bahrain Television's edited highlights of the session and this will now be a regular service for dead and mute viewers.
It has taken six months to set up the system at the council.
It is also planning to have special chairs for handicapped visitors, in addition to Braille schedules of what's going on at the session for the blind.
The idea for the instantaneous translation was put forward by council public relations head Ahmed Saleh Mohammed in April.
It was immediately accepted by council chairman Ali Saleh Al Saleh, who wanted first to see it tested.
This happened a month ago in a staged council meeting, which so impressed members they gave it the go-ahead, after months of preparations by the information technology department.
Mr Mohammed said yesterday that he was pleased with the members' response to the new project.
"The biggest problem was getting an instantaneous translator, but the Social Development Ministry provided us with one," he said.
"We had a mock session with members from the Bahrain Deaf and Mute Society, who were very happy with the initiative."
"Now, I am working with the services committee vice-chairman Dr Aysha Al Mubarak to get special chairs for the handicapped and organise schedules for the blind in Braille, which we are expecting to start next year."
Dr Al Mubarak said the council was the first organisation of its kind in the world to provide this sort of service.
She told councillors at yesterday's session that getting more people to become part of the democratic process was something excellent.
"Everyone should be allowed to know what's going on, even the deaf and the mute, who are forced to read it next day in the newspapers," she said.
"Now, this will even make it possible to appoint deaf and mute council members for the new term, since the council has the necessary systems for them.
"I am very happy to see this initiative, hoping the other two projects would be executed soon."