AT WHAT age does a child become an adult? In some jurisdictions, it is 21, in some, 18, and others, 16. In Jamaica, a person can only vote when he or she attains the age of 18, but is permitted to consent to sex at the age of 16.

This discrepancy is really confusing and is one of the major causes of teenage pregnancies and associated ills, retarding the development of Jamaica's children. There should be uniformity between the age of consent and the legal voting age, and both should be placed at 21 years. Very few people would argue against a 21-year-old being assigned adult status; 18 years is questionable and came from an era where life expectancy was much lower, but with the advances of technology, people are living much longer. Let's save our children from the predators - both sexual and political, who exploit the present system to snatch our children's innocence much too early.

I am, etc.,

PHILLIP CHAMBERS

phillipdcchambers@yahoo.com

Greater Portmore, St Catherine