ABSTINENCE THRUST — SPLENDID MOVE BY GOVT

Definite emphasis upon the foolproof way of abstinence, especially from the level of the Government, is most heartily welcomed. Mr and Mrs Rahael and Mrs Manning, you are actually involved in saving lives, and God will bless you richly for it.

Perhaps the best news I have heard from any Government in this country, is the fight against HIV/AIDS, is the Government’s current abstinence drive. As part of this thrust, some of our youths attended the Abstinence Convention held in Louisiana, USA, on April 4-6. The ten local secondary school students (from various schools) who attended the Convention were exposed to activities which focused strictly on abstinence.

Terrell Reed, a curriculum co-ordinator with the programme laments the failure rate of condoms in protecting against sexually transmitted diseases, adding that STDs “have reached epidemic levels in Louisiana.” The Convention was organised by the Ministries of Health and Education, in collaboration with the Governor of Louisiana. Mona Rahael, wife of Health Minister John Rahael, is patron. From all appearances, the students who were a part of the event were significantly impacted. We hear that they have already made recommendations to the two participating Ministries, with respect to how abstinence can be promoted among youths. The recommendations include “abstinence clubs” and “purity rings” to inspire youths “to remember their commitment (to purity) and enhance the abstinence lifestyle.”

We also got the very heartening news of an abstinence curriculum on HIV/AIDS being developed by the Ministries. Mrs Rahael has also given clear undertakings on structured plans regarding maximising the abstinence thrust. She has spoken of  “a cadre of peer educators and ongoing training of these educators, to carry on the noble work in TT. I wish to offer loud applause to the Ministries involved, and the Government by extension, on this splendid and extremely worthy initiative. I feel quite certain that I am echoing the sentiments of a wide cross-section of the national community on this. Over the years, we have been overwhelmed with “safe sex” campaigns, advocating condom use. Abstinence, as the Louisiana Convention reminded, “is the only safe way to avoid STDs,” yet it has been badly sidelined and even scorned. It’s no secret (as the grim statistics continue to remind us) that we have been paying quite a heavy price for this. Definite emphasis upon the foolproof way of abstinence, especially from the level of the Government, must be most heartily welcomed. This is great, Mr and Mrs Rahael and Mrs Manning, you are actually involved in saving lives in this abstinence drive, and God will richly bless you for it.

Satish Maharaj, a 14-year-old Hillview student, who was part of the Trinidad team on the programme, indicated to me that he was particularly happy to be a part of the Convention. “The materials presented were very sound from the standpoint of traditional family values, as well as God’s requirement for the moral and sexual behaviour of man,” Maharaj observed. He also noted that the programme did not merely stress abstinences, but abstinence until marriage. The event was captioned “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Abstinence.” There were 900 participants from various parts of the US. This number represents 250 “abstinence clubs.” These clubs have been established in schools across America, to promote abstinence from pre-marital sex. Topics discussed were, refusal skills, courtship and marriage, sexually transmitted diseases and the media and myths. Carol Fontenot, Health Teacher at Beau Chene High School in Louisiana addressed refusal skills. The programme also presents factual information on sexually transmitted diseases. It discusses the difference between love and lust and reviews the media’s role on the issue.

Other vital areas such as better ways to communicate with parents when speaking about sex, dealing with peer pressure, and setting boundaries are also focused upon. The entire programme bears striking resemblance to those conducted by many Pentecostal/Evangelical churches here in TT. Another presenter at the conference was Miss America 1997, Tara Dawn Christensen, (nee Holland) whose passion and purpose in her abstinence campaigns, I have personally admired for several years. Figures at our local Ministry of Health from a 1999 WHO/PAHO survey present some very troubling realities on the sexual behaviour of our young people, which must be addressed with a sense of urgency. This data reveals that the average youth becomes sexually active at age 14, and 42 percent of our youths are sexually active.

Recent figures coming from the National AIDS Co-ordinating Committee have also shocked us with the fact that of the 500,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean (TT being a part, of course) 50 percent are between the ages of 15 - 24 when infected. The statistics also indicate that there are many as 14,000 new infections every day, in this region. Of this number 2,000 are under 15 and 50 percent are between the ages 15-24. Technical Director of the Committee, Dr Amery Browne also agrees that “the only sure way to stop the disease is abstinence.” We just cannot afford to lapse with the abstinence message. It must forever remain a matter of top priority.