Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
News
ALICIA DUNKLEY, Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com  
March 12, 2009

Abortion drama in the House

MEMBERS of Sistren Theatre Collective yesterday gave members of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament deliberating a proposal to legalise abortion a ‘slice of reality’ in a drama presentation advocating a ‘safe space’ for women seeking to terminate their pregnancy.

The mantra of the seven-member female cast, aided by a male drummer, was the need for a “safe space where a woman can go to get counselling and make decisions about safe abortions”.

In the ‘riveting’ 10-minute presentation, the women, who were from the inner-city communities of Hannah Town and Fletcher’s Land in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, demonstrated the negatives of contraceptives, the dilemma of a struggling mother faced with one more mouth to feed in an already large family and the woman made pregnant against her will.

“What we want is for the Government to provide a safe space where women can go to make their decisions before and after counselling; meck wi choose fi wisself,” they chanted.

The women, who said they had no intention of using abortion as a family planning method, said the shame of hiding away to have abortions was further compounded by unsafe and unhealthy practices.

Director of Sistren, Lana Finnikin, said the group did not dream up the material it had presented but rather spoke for a select group.

“There are various situations why we are calling for safe space for women to be able to make that decision for themselves. It’s a woman’s right to make that decision and especially the grassroots women from within the inner-city they are saying it is their decision, it is their body and they have the right to decide for themselves. The characters you see on stage are real; they are from the communities we are working in,” Finnikin said.

Committee chairman, Ruddy Spencer, the health minister, and member Senator Dwight Nelson said the presentation was a far cry from the ‘abuse’ handed out to committee members weekly.

“It was a meaningful departure from the norm. We have been abused outside of the Parliament and inside but it comes with the work and we understand; but this was really, really refreshing and it will go a far way in helping us to make our decision,” Spencer said.

“It is a refreshing departure from sitting here and being abused and having insults hurled at us. I want to thank the group for making the committee’s day,” Nelson said, noting that he had entered the chamber with ‘trepidation’ based on the reported experiences of other members of the committee with other presenters.

According to colleague committee member St Aubyn Bartlett the presentation was “the voice of the people”.

Sistren Theatre Collective, an independent women’s organisation, established in 1977 has been working in some of Kingston’s most violent communities, using theatre, dance, photography, and music to highlight social issues and foster inter-communal dialogue and reform.

The committee which has been hearing submissions since July of last year on the report of the Abortion Policy Review Advisory Group set up by former health minister John Junor in 2005, amidst concerns that abortion was the third leading cause of death among adolescents and that unsafe abortions constituted the eighth leading cause of maternal deaths in Jamaica.

The group, which was asked to advise on the development of a comprehensive national policy on abortion with special emphasis on safe abortions, has recommended that Sections 72 and 73 of the Offences Against the Person Act be repealed and replaced with a Termination of Pregnancy Act.

Currently under the Offences Against the Person Act, persons identified as having made the slightest contribution to abortion are liable to life in prison.

Since July a number of submissions have been made to the committee, the majority from pro-life groups who have warned the Government of the ills of legalising abortion or giving way to an abortion on demand policy.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Miss 30+ Jamaica Pageant launches new partnership for children with autism
Entertainment, Latest News
Miss 30+ Jamaica Pageant launches new partnership for children with autism
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A humanitarian partnership has been formed between Miss 30+ Jamaica contestant Shanakaye Edwards and Harmony for Humanity Foundati...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Efforts to refloat sunken Guyanese vessel to begin Wednesday
Latest News, Regional
Efforts to refloat sunken Guyanese vessel to begin Wednesday
July 22, 2026
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The Guyana Government says it will begin operations at midday on Wednesday to refloat the sunken MV Barima using specialise...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
LASCO Financial Services backs Greater Change Foundation with $50,000 donation
Latest News, News
LASCO Financial Services backs Greater Change Foundation with $50,000 donation
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — As communities continue to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa, LASCO Financial Services has stepped forward with a $50,...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Media leaders urge overhaul of communications training
Latest News, News
Media leaders urge overhaul of communications training
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Media practitioners and academics are calling for closer partnerships among universities, employers and Corporate Jamaica to bette...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Naggo Head Primary reclaims crown in TPDCo’s Tourism Quiz Competition
Latest News, News
Naggo Head Primary reclaims crown in TPDCo’s Tourism Quiz Competition
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — After weeks of intense competition, quick thinking and an impressive display of knowledge about Jamaica’s tourism industry, histor...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
NWA temporarily reinstates failed embankment along Mineral Heights to Lionel Town main road
Latest News, News
NWA temporarily reinstates failed embankment along Mineral Heights to Lionel Town main road
July 22, 2026
CLARENDON, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) says a failed section of the road embankment along the Mineral Heights to Lionel Town main road i...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
France records over 5,700 excess deaths in June heatwave
International News, Latest News
France records over 5,700 excess deaths in June heatwave
July 22, 2026
PARIS, France (AFP) — France recorded 5,764 more deaths than usual during a record-breaking heatwave last month, health authorities said on Wednesday,...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
ICSL secures regional NETinfo banking partnership
Business, Latest News
ICSL secures regional NETinfo banking partnership
July 22, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican technology company Innovative Corporate Solutions Limited (ICSL) has been appointed an exclusive implementation partner f...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct