Roamer's Column (The Sunday Times, February 8) graciously referred to my simple suggestion of an amendment to Article 33 (1) of our Constitution by the insertion after the word 'life' and before the word 'save' of the phrase "from conception to natural death", which appeared in my letter to The Times of April 16, 2007. This, in my opinion, would sufficiently secure what the Title in the margin describes as "Protection of Right to Life."

Since then, I have in my studies come across the following juridical enunciation in a strong authoritative source, namely Article 4 of the American Convention on Human Rights - Pact of San Jose, Costa Rica of 1969:-

"Right to Life. 4. Every person has the right to have his life respected. This right shall be protected by law, and, in general from the moment of conception. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life."

May I take this opportunity to urge all the political forces who are against the legalisation of the practice of abortion to renew their efforts to obtain the necessary two-thirds majority in the new Parliament to effect this further clarification of the juridical meaning of 'life' and settle certain spurious doubts, raised by some individuals, which, however, are not shared by the great majority of the members of our House of Representatives.