REGARDING your report headlined 'Free condoms to beat teenage pregnancies' (LET, July 26), successive governments have boasted for the past 20 years or so about how they have committed themselves to increase the spending on education and also for much of this time how they have 'improved' sex education for juveniles and teenagers.

From the behaviour of a large number of the country's youth, they have lamentably failed to either improve education or sexual morality. I am concerned that my taxes are being wasted in both respects.

What is needed is not the free issue of condoms, but to instil into the minds of young people that they must take responsibility for their lives, after having had the benefit of an expensive education system, coupled with parental advice.

If they are old enough to have sex, then they are old enough to bear responsibility. If they do not wish to live by a moral sexual code, then that is their decision and also their responsibility.

Taxpayers should not be expected to fund their sexual promiscuity, nor fund the outcome of it in the form of various benefits, allowances, accommodation etc.

They should be informed that the results of their actions could lead to a life of hardship both for themselves and, unfortunately, their offspring.

If the message was heeded, we could perhaps dispense with many organisations that have sprung up over the years to cater for the irresponsible.

It is regretted that there are so many persons in positions of authority in public office who are unwilling or unable to defend or abide by a moral code. The media frequently provide examples of such individuals.

The word 'discipline' is fast becoming redundant. Unless the current trend that all forms of behaviour are acceptable is reversed, we will have a society that is in a state of terminal moral decline.

F HEATON (Mr) (address supplied)