GPS 405
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
GRAND TURK 121520Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51
1 5 AUG 1977 a
HKG 3801 нка
COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO PERSONAL 31 OF 12 AUGUST
INFO SAVING BELMOPAN TORTOLA (PERSONAL), GRAND CAYMAN,
MONTSERRAT (PERSONAL)
FOR WIAD
YOUR TEL TO BELMOPAN TEL NO PERSONAL 76
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
96
1. AS THERE HAS BEEN NO CASE IN RECENT YEARS I CAN ONLY GUESS
AT LOCAL ATTITUDES. ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY ACK- NOWLEDGE VIRTUAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF CARRYING OUT EXECUTION IN GRAND TURK I DOUBT IF LOCAL OPINION WOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY
UNANIMOUS TO AVOID UNDESIRABLE CONTROVERSY IF ABOLITION WAS
PROPOSED IN LOCAL LEGISLATURE. I WOULD NOT THEREFORE FAVOUR COURSE (11). SAME DIFFICULTY WOULD ARISE FROM
LOCAL CONSULTATIONS NECESSARY TO
EFFECT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT UNDER (1) PARTICULARLY AS MINISTERS HERE MIGHT SEEK OTHER CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION AT SAME
TIME.
2. COURSE (V) WOULD ALSO BE UNSATISFACTORY, SINCE EFFECT MIGHT NOT BECOME APPARENT TO FUBLIC OPINION UNTIL AN UNDESIRABLY
LATE STAGE. IT WOULD NOT AVOID PUBLIC AGITATION DURING AND
AFTER TRIAL OR RELEASE GOVERNOR FROM CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAKE HIS OWN DECISION FIRST. IN PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE
E.G. INVOLVING MURDER OF ISLANDER BY WHITE U.K. CITIZEN
WHERE EXCO HAD ADVISED AGAINST COMMUTATION GOVERNOR MIGHT BE
PLACED IN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.
3. I WOULD THEREFORE FAVOUR (111), OR (IV) UNILATERAL
ORDER IN COUNCIL NOT INVOLVING LOCAL CONSULTATION SO THAT EVERY-
ONE KNEW WHERE THEY STOOD FROM BEGINNING OF TRIAL:
FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING.
WATSON
[REPEATED
AS REQUESTED]
FILES
COPIES то
H K D G D
WIAD
M AND CD
*
RES D MR POSNETT
(104)
•
MR BICKFORD, LEGAL ADVISERS. SIR.CLIVE ROSE, CABINET OFFICE. MR.G. DEWINTON, LAW OFFICE'S DEPT. MR-A-M.F.WEBB, LORD CHANCELLOR'S
OFFICE. MISS.M.A. CLAYTON. HOME OFFICE.
CONFIDENTIAL
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