THE EDITOR, Sir:
BOTH ERNIE Smith and Sharon Hay-Webster made presentations in the House of Parliament on Tuesday, and went back nearly 50 years in their idea for solving
two very serious problems in our society.
I had the opportunity to listen to both Mrs. Hay-Webster and Mr. Smith on the Nationwide programme (Power 106FM) on Wednesday evening, and was shocked by the justification that both put forward for their
suggestions.
Mrs. Hay-Webster, an MP for the governing party, suggested that women with more than three children should be forced to tie their tubes if it is determined that they are too poor to maintain more. Mr. Smith, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Opposition, suggested that virginity tests should be performed on young girls on their return to school each year.
Both MPs seems to accept the outright crass nature of the suggestions, but supported what they said on the basis that it was done to generate debate.
It is extremely sad when those within the leadership cadre of our country chose to suggest the embarrassment of our young people and discrimination against our women in an effort to generate debate!
There is no doubt that teenage pregnancy is a fundamental problem in Jamaica. This has been the case for a long, long time, and all MPs with any knowledge of life in Jamaica should have been aware of this for a long time.
Both Mrs. Hay-Webster and Mr. Smith, through their utterances, have shown either the lack of knowledge of what is happening to our children or a seriously foolish way to tackle the problem.
My disgust with the two MPs was further strengthened when they both refused to withdraw their proposals, notwithstanding the clear discriminatory, embarrassing and invasion of privacy elements involved.
As someone who has always promoted close working relationship between both sides of the House, it was extremely sad to see the lock step reaction of both MPs on such stupid ideas.
The fact that both went lock step in their combined attempt to discriminate and embarrass Jamaicans (specifically our children) is a clear sign that the intellectual bankruptcy of our political leadership is not specific to any one political party.
Mrs. Hay-Webster seems not to be aware of it, or may have forgotten, that today's poor could be tomorrow's rich, or even more importantly for Mrs. Hay-Webster personally today's rich could be tomorrow's poor!
Mrs. Hay-Webster seems to believe that poverty and wealth abide with the individual for his/her life.
Mr. Smith's suggestion for virginity tests on our young girls is even more ridiculous than Mrs. Hay-Webster's, if only for the
fact that it is targeting our young children.
In today's world, it is a disgrace for anybody, not to mention an MP, to suggest that we invade the privacy of our children, especially as it relates to sex.
The amazing thing about Mr. Smith's suggestion is that he has not explained in any appropriate manner what should be done when a young girl is found to have lost her virginity. Close examination of Mr. Smith's plan shows that it would only serve to worsen the problem, alienating our young children by forcing them to undergo embarrassing tests and then forcing them to discuss their sexuality.
Both Mrs. Hay-Webster and Mr. Smith should focus their energy on ensuring that the legislations that are currently on the books are brought to bear on the criminals raping our children.
When we make it clear that those who rape our children will be caught and punished, we will reduce the incidence of such rapes in a fundamental manner.
I am, etc,
GARNET GIBSON
denimar@yahoo.com
Via Go-Jamaica
