124
166
CRITY
GPS 320
CYPHER CAT A
1127
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HAMILTON 121750Z
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
HKG 380/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 13 SEP 1977
DESK OFFICER
JOEX
No
BA
REGISTRY Action Taken
sep. minute
TO PRIORITY FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER PERSONAL 26 OF 11 SEPTEMBER 1977.
YOUR TELNO PERSONAL 27: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT,
FOR STEWART, HONG KONG AND INDIAN OCEAN DEPARTMENT.
1. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE WHOLE POSITION WITH PETER LLOYD.
WE MUCH APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS BEING MADE BY THE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL:
OFFICIAL COMMITTEE TO SECURE AN EARLY MINISTERIAL DECISION.
IT DOES NEVERTHELESS SEEM QUITE POSSIBLE THAT NONE WILL HAVE
BEEN REACHED BY THE TIME THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE HEAR TACKLYN'S
APPLICATION. MOREOVER EVEN IF ONE HAD BEEN REACHED, NOTHING
MIGHT BE ANNOUNCED UNTIL LATE OCTOBER AS YOUR LETTER HKG 380/1 OF 23 JULY TO LLOYD CONTEMPLATED.
G
2. I COULD NOT MEANWHILE POSTPONE FIXING AN EXECUTION DATE WITHOUT
GIVING SOME REASON. MUCH THE MOST PLAUSIBLE WOULD BE THAT A
PETITION FOR CLEMENCY HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND THAT THE SECRETARY
OF STATE HAD TO ADVISE THE QUEEN ON IT.
3.
PROVIDED THAT MRS BROWNE-EVANS AND/OR THE PROGRESSIVE LABOUR
PARTY CAN BE PERSUADED TO SEND ONE BEFORE 6 OCTOBER THERE WILL
BE NO PROBLEM, PAST PERFORMANCE,
PAST PERFORMANCE, HOWEVER, SUGGESTS THAT THEY CANNOT BE RELIED UPON. THIS MAY SEEM STRANGE, BUT THEY ARE PROBABLY CONSCIOUS THAT MOST BERMUDIANS THINK THAT THE LAW SHOULD
TAKE ITS COURSE AND DOUBTFUL WHETHER POLITICAL OR OTHER ADVANTAGE
WOULD THUS SE GAINED FROM A PETITION, WHICH THEY PROBABLY REGARD
ANYHOW AS HOPELESS. I CANNOT VERY WELL EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT IT
WOULD IN FACT SUCCEED.
CONFIDENTIAL
14. IN