Constitution review hears plea for accessible public services

People living with disabilities should not be excluded from supermarkets, schools and public services because buildings are not designed to accommodate them, a Rakiraki resident told the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) today.

Making a submission on proposed changes to the 2013 Constitution, Nemani Ralulu called for stronger legal protections to ensure public buildings and services are accessible to people living with disabilities.

Mr Ralulu said many supermarkets, schools and other public facilities in Rakiraki remained difficult or impossible for wheelchair users and people with mobility challenges to access.

“When we go to the supermarket, I can't enter. I have to call people to buy my stuff from inside,” he said.

Mr Ralulu, who lives with a mobility impairment, said accessibility barriers continued to affect his daily life.

He called for a constitutional provision requiring all new developments to meet accessibility standards before receiving approval.

“The Government should check whether a development is accessible to people living with disabilities before approving it,” Mr Ralulu said.

He said accessibility should not be treated as an afterthought, but as a basic right for all citizens.

Mr Ralulu said such a provision would help create a more inclusive society and ensure people living with disabilities could move around independently and access essential services without unnecessary barriers.

Public consultations by the Constitution Review Commission on proposed amendments to the 2013 Constitution continue in Rakiraki.