Two persons involved in the local abortion debate differ on what impact his policies will have in Jamaica.

"Legislators are sensitive to the views of Jamaicans who don't support abortion. They won't take a lock, stock and barrel approach to their constituents," said Doreen Brady-West, a member of a coalition of Christian doctors opposed to abortion.

Spokespersons for the pro-choice movement expect Obama, a Democrat, to honour presidential campaign promises and increase Federal funding for planned parenthood. Removing a 'global gag rule' banning federal support to similar agencies overseas is also high on the agenda.

Gag rule

Joan Wedderburn of Development Alternative for Women in the New Era (DAWN) says clearing the global gag rule would be beneficial to cash-strapped Jamaican family-planning programmes. She said the effective 'Two is better than too many' campaign of the 1980s was driven by overseas funding, but fell away once that source dried up.

Wedderburn said DAWN supports a recom-mendation of the Abortion Policy Review Advisory Group that a woman can make a decision to terminate pregnancy after 12 weeks, once it is done by an authorised medical practitioner in a registered facility.

The Roe v Wade case legalised abortion in the US in 1973. It is one of the most divisive issues in that country with Republican (pro-life) and Democratic (pro-choice) administrations revising Federal funding for planned parenthood programmes when either party takes office.

Abortions are illegal in Jamaica, although it is reported that as many as 30,000 are performed here annually. Under Section 72 of the Offences Against the Person Act, persons found guilty of having or facilitating an abortion face life imprisonment.

Legislators are sensitive to the views of Jamaicans who don't support abortion. They won't take a lock, stock and barrel approach to their constituents. - Brady-West