Put more faith in TT’s youths

THE EDITOR: I have read and listened with much interest at some of the discussions surrounding the initiative the Advocates for Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (AYSHR) took on May 7 2003 at the Woodbrook Government Secondary School. Many persons have articulated, including the President of TTUTA (whom I had much respect for until his utterances), that giving young persons condoms is a barbaric act as it is encouraging them to be sexually active.

If I am to believe this, it means that our society is really in shambles. It suggests to me that parents, religious bodies, communities, the education system, etc have no control or effect on our young people. It indicates to me that our young people are fickle- minded and easily swayed. Our adults and institutions have therefore failed them terribly. If as a society we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, then we have nothing to worry about. It would mean that our young people are grounded in morality, spirituality and values, and therefore would not be persuaded to engage in sexual activity simply because condoms are given to them.

In the 21st century, we are still saying that if young persons are exposed to correct information and education, they would be encouraged to be sexually active? What folly! Research has shown that exposure to correct information would delay and perhaps prevent sexual activity. There are many persons including the head of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) who are saying that education on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health should be the responsibility of the parents. I fully endorse this but don’t you think that a wider perspective can only redound to the benefit of the young person? In addition to this, many parents are not taking up this responsibility, while others do not know how to impart this knowledge to their charges. Let us stop looking for a scapegoat to blame for our ills. Let’s all stop pretending to not know what is going on with our nation’s youth. For those who really don’t know, it is really bad. The public debate has opened the proverbial “can of worms” for all of us to see. Come Trinidad and Tobago, let’s preserve our nation’s future, our youth!

G STEPHEN
Port-of-Spain