The Editor, Sir:

Raising the age of consent is another gimmick of the so-called family planners. Our main problem in Jamaica where the family is concerned isn't the age that a person has sex, but the stage at which their brain is in development. Much of what young people are exposed to today reinforces their immaturity and their silliness.

Most people realise that people are engaging in sex at earlier ages; education must start being more real. Growing up on a feast of Scooby-Doo, Mickey Mouse and silly television programming doesn't do anything to enhance the maturity of young people. Young people must be taught that engaging in sex is a high responsibility. Even if the person is 30 and hasn't learned the responsibilities toward their bodies, the results will just be the same - broken homes, fatherless children.

If the age of consent is 18, then there would be thousands more boys and men in Jamaica who could be found guilty of rape. This is another gimmick of those who would like to send more people to prison. Admit that the sexual problem in Jamaica is one of culture and not one of age.

I am, etc.,

Concerned Citizen

Via Go-Jamaica