Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Our Readers' Opinions
March 7, 2008

Abortion in Hairouna

07.MAR.08

Editor: There is nothing in our world today that takes more human life than legal abortion.

Since 1973, more than 50 million babies have been killed by legal abortion in the United States alone. In Russia today, approximately 60% of all pregnancies are aborted, and due to abortion there is not a single country in Europe that is currently replacing its population. As the discussion about legal abortion heats up in the region and across world, I am amazed at how such a contentious issue is either minimized or treated as a non-issue in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).{{more}}

Many Vincentians would be quite surprised to learn that abortion is legal in SVG. I visited a site that summarizes the abortion laws of almost every country in the world. If you use the link below you will discover, as I did, that abortion is quite easily accessed in SVG (http://www.pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.jsp). In SVG abortions are allowed if the pregnancy threatens a woman’s life, and to preserve the mental and physical health of women. Abortion is “legally allowed” in the case of rape, also, if it is determined that the child has some defect. It is also allowed for social and economic reasons. The site lists abortion as not being legally available to Vincentians on demand. However, with all the options opened to individuals under the law, it is essentially available on demand.

The effects of these changes to our laws are very much a matter of public knowledge. The primary effect is that SVG has been having enough abortions to retard our fertility rate to below replacement. This is borne out in concerns about low birth rates at the hospital, and in the fact that the Ministry of Education has openly said it records fewer and fewer children entering our school system each year. There are so few children in our primary schools (more so in rural SVG) that some of them have been converted to secondary schools. How do we know that abortion is the culprit? According to Popin, the UN population information network, replacement level fertility rate is a minimum of 2.1 children per woman. It has long been stated by the UN and other agencies that the only way to get fertility rates to fall below replacement is through massive resort to abortion. During the last population census it was discovered that St.Vincent’s population had declined from 110,000 to 106,000. A visit to the Popin online database reveals that even with low variants considered, SVG is currently undergoing negative population growth predicted for the year 2040. This depopulation has been exacerbated by migration, but make no mistake abortion is the major mitigating factor in our population woes.

The elevated rate of negative population growth has serious implications for Vincenian society. SVG already has a small population, so in a short time we could well see a situation in which there are more dependants than there are workers. This could lead for example to the collapse of the NIS. A shortage of all classes of professionals is not something we are in a position to withstand. What are the implications for vital services, health, education, security, and agriculture? Another more sinister effect of abortion on our society is a diminishing of the respect for human life. Our laws now allow confused frightened young people to decide which child shall live and which shall die. When issues as fundamental as membership in the human family and, the right to life are so routinely and arbitrarily decided by a large cross section of society, can we reasonably expect society to remain respectful of the gift of life? We cannot continue to allow such disregard for life and the physical and psychological wounding of our women; abortion must be addressed. How many abortions are performed per year, and at what cost, and for which reasons? Not that any of the answers would justify abortion, as the killing of the innocent is always wrong. We must, however, have a sense that the authorities know what is happening and what the ramifications are for the future. Only from an informed position can we quantify the harm that is being done and ascertain what can be done to reverse it.

Salt

Editor’s note: The easy availability and effectiveness of today’s birth control methods makes it easy for women to decide if and when they want to have child. Many families are able to do that successfully without having to resort to abortion.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Front Page
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    A fire that destroyed a multi-family complex in Richland Park on Monday has left at least 12 people homeless, including a 23-year-old mother of a six-...
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Front Page
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has responded to reports by the United States administration that its military had carried out the bombing of a boa...
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Front Page
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Police investigators on Union Island are said to be looking into the “disappearance” of building materials that were sent to the Southern Grenadine Is...
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Front Page
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    by Grace Francis After sharing a small space for over a year, children and teachers at the Fitz Hughes Early Childhood Centre went into brand new prem...
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Front Page
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Several secondary schools and special needs institutions across St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have received $5,000 donations towards meals for s...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    News
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    News
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is leading a delegation to the East African country of Ethiopia; the delegation left the state on Wednesday, Septe...
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    News
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The modern port in Kingstown is expected to be handed over to the government just before this country celebrates its 46th anniversary of political ind...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok