Dear Editor,

Public policy must not be shaped by the individual experiences of members of parliament, no matter how interesting the testimonials.

In any thriving democracy, policy is shaped in large part from the public’s needs and desires. The efforts of certain MPs to foist or frame abortion as an urgent issue to be tackled by the Jamaican populace have been total failures. The latest national poll found that only 25 per cent of Jamaicans were supportive of abortion and even then, within this percentage, many of those surveyed urged several restrictions.

The results of this survey seemingly stunned the main political proponents of abortion, who expressed surprise that despite their best efforts the majority of Jamaicans are firmly against any revision of Jamaica’s abortion laws.

The failure of the political class to change minds and hearts has led to a new tactic emerging. In late March, we heard on a popular newscast that 19 religious leaders in Jamaica were now supporting abortion on demand up to 12 weeks of the life of the foetus. Interestingly, we are yet to know the names of these 19 religious leaders.

This development leads one to ask: is there an external organisation trying to push a particular agenda on Jamaica? It is evident that this pro-abortion push is not coming from a clamour amongst Jamaicans. What is causing the strident calls from politicians and now the 19 religious leaders? Perhaps it is a validation of “money answers all things” as the pro-abortionists, especially in the USA, have long dispensed of the myth of abortion being done solely for the health of the mother. Abortion is now a multimillion-dollar industry generating big bucks for health-care workers and large donations to politicians and political parties.

According to the 19 religious leaders, at 12 weeks the baby’s organs are not functional so an abortion at this stage would be fine. This assertion is not factual as any basic research on the baby’s development shows the following:

Week 4: The heart is beating.

Week 8: All major body systems continue to develop and function, including the circulatory, nervous, digestive and urinary systems.

Week 10: Vital organs such as kidneys, intestines, brain and liver are starting to function.

Week 11: Baby is almost fully formed, his or her bones are beginning to harden.

Week 12: The external genital organs are developed.

Arms and legs are fully formed (Lehigh Valley Health Network & Foetal development timeline: Baby Centre)

No amount of political or “religious” propaganda or sleight of hand will change the views of the majority of Jamaicans who instinctively know that aborting a baby whose heart is beating from four weeks cannot be justified.

Marsha Thomas

marshburns@hotmail.com