I read with interest the article "Sensible, workable laws needed" in your Sunday paper regarding abortion. Although I do not support abortion as a means of birth control, I do believe a woman should be given the right to decide whether she chooses to carry a pregnancy to full term, especially in cases of rape or incest.

The Jamaican government should educate the population on effective means of controlling unwanted births. That's the least it could do.

- R. Warner

warnermoyston@hotmail.com

What would you do if someone blockaded your house and would not let any food, water or medicine in?

This is after stealing your land and forcing you to live in a refugee camp. And if, after you elected your own government, you were told there would be new conditions before you were recognised.

Firing a few rockets ( as Hamas has done) seems like a mild response to me, especially against the fourth-biggest military in the world, which used phosphorus bombs against civilians.

- Thorold Demarcado

thorold.demercado@itp.com

Dubai, UAE

With reference to the PM's car and MPs' offices, the discussion about these two topics would be laughable, were they not so serious.

I do not know how much the PM's car is used in terms of mileage. However, for the leader of the nation to be driven in an official car of that age is an insult.

Cartoonist Leandro, in his day, would have a field day with the prime minister on his way to Gordon House or to meet some foreign repre-sentative with his car stopped, hood opened and his thumb up in the air, like a hitchhiker.

Is this fiscal prudence, parsimonious foolishness or a political ploy? Whatever it is, it detracts from the national image.

The other laughable situation is the amount provided for MPs' offices. The people's representatives should have a place in their constituencies, or at least, in the capital of each parish, where constituents could meet their representatives, register their concerns and even provide suggestions for solutions to existing problems.

This should be the prerogative of the MP and not that of a so-called 'don'.

Leaders on both sides of the political divide should lead and not be led. If they are led, then they should be led by people-oriented concerns and by high principles.

- Louis A. Hemans

lahemans@aol.com

Hyattsville

Maryland