Abortion law stays

[fari]

As a youth man i never gave much thought to these things but now i am wondering if this law is a good idea or not.  it seems that there are alot of teen pregnancies in T&T (i don't have any stats tho). the thing is going to pres i never heard of any convent girls, naps girls etc. who was pregnant (my pardner sister who went senior sec get pregnant but she had the child).  does this law favor the rich who could fly out, get it done and come back?   



Abortion law stays
Public Administration Minister:
Juhel Browne

Thursday, September 21st 2006

   

Changing the law which bans abortion in Trinidad and Tobago is not, at this time, the best way to deal with "back yard" abortions, says Public Administration and Energy Minister Dr Lenny Saith.

"The solution to the problem, therefore, is not legislative; rather, effective policing of medical practitioners engaged in this illegal activity," Saith declared during yesterday's sitting of the Senate at the Red House in Port of Spain.

"This is the responsibility of the Police Service, also the Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago."

He was responding to a question on behalf of Health Minister John Rahael, raised by Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate Wade Mark, concerning the issue of back yard abortions.

Rahael, the St Ann's MP in the House of Representatives, did not appear in the Senate to answer Mark's question.

"Under the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, abortion is illegal. It is an offence to procure or cause to procure an abortion," Saith said.

"The Government does not intend to amend the laws governing the practice of abortion in Trinidad and Tobago at this time."

He quoted Sections 56 and 57 of the Offences against the Persons Act that defines any attempt by any woman being with child, who intends to procure her own miscarriage, or anyone who supplies anything towards this intent, as illegal and carries prison terms, upon conviction, of four and two years, respectively.

"Madam President, I want to ask the honourable Minister if he is aware that there are 10,000 abortions every year in this country and whether, for instance, the honourable Minister can indicate to this Parliament why the State, through its security services, has not taken action against the perpetrators of this particular development this Government does not support?" Mark said.

Saith said he was unaware of the 10,000 figure. "I'm sorry the Minister of Health is not here to provide the additional information," he said.

Mark asked Saith whether the Government intends to update the legislation regarding abortion in the not too distant future, while Independent Senator Dana Seetahal said there is research which shows some women have suffered permanent injuries due to what she called some "back street abortions".

Saith again reiterated that the Government, at this time, does not intend to amend the laws governing abortion and the problem is one of enforcement.

Opposition Senator Dr Tim Gopeesingh asked about the Government's position on women seeking abortions who were raped, victims of incest or had pregnancies that endangered their lives. Saith said that question should be referred to Attorney General John Jeremie in a future Senate session.

[pecan]

Ever read the book "Freakonomics"? by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner?

They draw a link between abortion and crime rates.  In a nut shell ..

US States with legalized abortion have a lower crime rate than those with anti-abortion laws.  They use the famous (or infamous depending on your point of view) Roe vs. Wade to make their argument.  To quote from page 6 of the softcover edition:

"Decades of studies have shown that a child born into adverse family environment is far more likely than other children to become a criminal.  And the millions of women most likely to have an abortion in the wake of Roe vs. Wade - poor, unmarried, and teenage mothers for whom illegal abortions had been too expensive or too hard to get - were often models of adversity.  They were the very women whose children, if born, would have been more likely than average eto become criminals.  But because of Roe vs. Wade, these children weren't being born."

Hence lower crime rates 15 to 20 yeras down de road.

They are not making a moral argument.  All they are looking at is a lot of statistical data.

10,000 abortions/year in T&T sounds very high.  To put it in perspective, that is 27 a day.

[Dutty]

I not 'qualified' to determine if is a good thing or not.......but a good law it definitley is not

Trinidad still have than 'religion determines legislation' mindset that have people in mental slavery


Coulda be worse....dis chick from colombia and she is a lawyer defending this kinda business, men trying to kill she just for that
Moreover, look at the reasons her clients need to have the procedure done

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_woman_mag?id=161011845

[pecan]

I not 'qualified' to determine if is a good thing or not.......but a good law it definitley is not

Trinidad still have than 'religion determines legislation' mindset that have people in mental slavery


Coulda be worse....dis chick from colombia and she is a lawyer defending this kinda business, men trying to kill she just for that
Moreover, look at the reasons her clients need to have the procedure done

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_woman_mag?id=161011845

This is from Dutty's link: The Vatican has spoken. Members of the medical team who performed Colombia's first legal abortion will be excommunicated. (Last month, staff at the Simon Bolivar Hospital terminated the pregnancy of an 11-year-old who had been raped for four years by her step-father.)

So deh doctors excumminated but the criminal step-father still get to go to confessions.  What a load a crap.

Makes yuh wonder how some ppl is sleep at nite ... steupssssssssss