Armed with their assumed moral authority of God, a coalition of Christian groups has vowed to fight any move towards more liberal abortion laws in Jamaica.

Perhaps there is an argument to be made against abortion, which is a debate worth having. But none of that argument ought to rest on a foundation that, for whatever reason, those who govern ought to leave well and good alone, which seems to be the position of Archbishop Donald Reece. That misses the point of the presumptive role of the State to do what is necessary to advance the welfare of its citizens.

In that regard, this newspaper believes that legislators have begun a process to do what is decent and sensible to adjust the abortion laws in line with modern criteria and the realities which exist in Jamaica. Indeed, it does not require public clamour or a staged media event to discern that this is an issue in need of attention.

It is estimated that each year, up to 30,000 abortions are done in Jamaica, many of these backroom operations in which mostly young women are hardly afforded the best care. Many of these women develop medical complications for which they enter the formal medical system. Some, unfortunately, die.

Abortions are forced underground because doctors and patients fear criminal prosecution. Women in the process are victimised, being deprived of the best health care and, in our view, a fundamental right to privacy, flowing from a constitutional guarantee of personal liberty. Such fundamental rights, including the right of a woman to treat with her body as she wishes, can only be circumscribed if, and when, it impinges on the rights of others.

Abortion is an incursion on the right of no other persons except, in our view, those of a viable foetus. The report now up for discussion adopts reasonable and clinically accepted definitions of viability and sketches a good framework within which women can negotiate abortions.

This newspaper, of course, is not opposed to people who have a moral position against abortion and offe methods for women to cope with unwanted pregnancies. We, however, have a problem when this becomes ideology or theocratic imperative to which, it is expected, everyone should adhere.

We have to be careful of the tyranny of the minority or of Salem revisited.

Oliver Foot was far from perfect, but he was good - and will be missed. Walk good, Oliver.