Legalise abortion, repeal homosexual laws

In his contribution on the debate in the Senate to raise the age of marriage from 12 to 18, Mahabir declared, “I am a pro choice advocate and I would like for us to step up with women’s rights as we talk about the marriage age.” He said that in raising the age of marriage to 18, girls should be given the option, should they become pregnant while underage, to have legal access to abortions.

“My position is that when you are going to service your car and you need to change the oil, you cannot change the oil only. You have to change the filter as well,” he said. “We cannot say we want to raise the marriage age so that we are going to confirm with greater gender equity and rights of women (and) girls without speaking and opening up the issue of abortion,” he said.

As the issue of gender equality, and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals were being looked at, he said, “We want to ensure that Trinidad and Tobago has stepped up its position with respect for equality to women.” He said that while there have been opposition to raising the age of marriage by the Muslim and Hindu communities, he said, he has not heard from the Orishas, and the Roman Catholics which is governed by canon laws and allow marriage at age 12 or even below in ceratin circumstance.

Yet he noted, that the Catholics, Hindus and Muslims were pioneers in the education of girls in TT.

Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Italy, he said “are all countries with huge Roman Catholic populations and they were mature enough not to allow religion to enter into the rights of the woman.” To that list he added, South Africa, India and Barbados that have legalised abortions.

For the record, he said, “I Senator Dhaneshwar Mahabir, am of the view that Act 11.08 Section 56 ought to be struck off our books,” he said.

And still the rights of women, Mahabir said that TT needs to look not only at the archaic abortion laws but laws governing homosexuality.

In the law books, he said, was “the most oppressive of laws” on homosexuality in this day and age that will incur a penalty of 25 years in jail.

It was wonderful, he said, that there was an Independent bench in the Parliament because partisan politicians were afraid to address the issue but he will.