The Editor, Sir:

I read with much disgust that our esteemed parliament has decided to allow 'kissing cousins' to no longer be con-sidered illegal. I wonder if they consulted with any medical practitioners before making these decisions.

History is full of royal marriages where members of the families were forced to marry close relatives. 'Bad' recessive genes were suddenly brought to the forefront creating a wide range of medical issues. Recall the last Russian royals.

Genetic fallout

There will be genetic fallout because these relationships will no longer be taboo. The cost to society can become over-whelming as some of these defects can be severe resulting in the need for a lifetime of care.

I am not saying that 'kissing cousins' are the only relation-ships that produce offspring with genetic defects. But please, let's not open a can of worms.

I am, etc.,

Dr. ANDREA CAMPBELL

gravandy@hotmail.com

Cayman Islands

Via Go-Jamaica