<B>By Deepa BHOOKHUN</B>

To the attention of Dharam Gokhool, minister of Education - a male condom is according to medical definition, ?a sheath placed over the erect penis before penetration, preventing pregnancy by blocking the passage of sperm. It is a method of contraception.?

I am of course, talking of sexual intercourse.

Condoms, however, have other important uses.

Because they act as a mechanical barrier, condoms prevent direct vaginal contact with semen, infectious genital secretions and genital sores or discharges.

This means, in layman?s terms, that a condom during sexual intercourse is crucial if one wants to have safe sex.

Safe sex, in case Mr Gokhool does not know, is protection from sexually transmitted diseases that one?s partner may have.

HIV/Aids is just one of those STDs. Others are as serious if not more common than HIV.

Now that this matter is settled, can we please know why the free distribution of condoms on the University of Mauritius campus has been interdicted? ?We are in Mauritius?, says Mr Gokhool.

Well thanks for reminding us! But, besides the helpful reminder, what does such a nonsensical statement mean?

That in Mauritius, people don?t have sex before marriage?

I don?t know where exactly Mr Gokhool thinks he is living but maybe it?s time I provide the helpful reminder to Dharam Gokhool - We are in Mauritius and we are in 2007!

And, in case Mr Gokhool has not been updated on what happens in this country, he seems not to know very well, let me oblige and give him a crash course.

Young people are engaging in sexual intercourse at a younger age and are more prone to change sexual partners.

Yes it may sound shocking but it is true. Pretending this is not so simply because it may shock parents will not change a thing.

Having sex means there are overwhelming risks of pregnancy. Short of banning sex, the only solution to this problem is to encourage sexually active people to have protected sex. While Mr Gokhool was sleeping, condoms have been found to be the only protection against STDs and the safest protection against pregnancy.When the girl from the UOM campus falls pregnant because the irresponsible guy she slept with didn?t think of buying condoms and she didn?t have any on her and she doesn?t want a child at 19, what will Mr Gokhool do? Will he ask his government to legalise abortion so she doesn?t have to break a stupid law?

Will he provide the funds so that she can buy herself an expensive abortion in a private clinic?

And when he or she gets infected with a STD, then what?

Oh I guess it wouldn?t matter - after all treatments are available aren?t they? Who cares that the number of infected people is taking the upward surge?

I think it is about time Mr Gokhool and his friends in government (as well as the opposition for that matter) wake up and ask themselves whether they really know this younger generation they have the presumptuousness to want to rule?

How about no for an answer?