+
PRIORITY
PHER CAT A
FM GRAND TURK 121520Z
CONFIDENTIAL
ITW 380/501/1
240011977
.. AY
J.
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO PERSONAL 31 OF 12-AUGUST
:
100
TRY Sono. Taken
C
INFO SAVING BELMOPAN TORTOLA (PERSONAL), GRAND CAYMAN, MONTSERRAT (PERSONAL)
FOR WIAD
اله
YOUR TEL TO BELMOPAN TEL NO PERSONAL 76
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
1. AS THERE HAS DEEN 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 PUBLIC 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,
UNILATERA
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
FILES
H K D G D
WIAD
M AND CD
•
RES D MR POSNETT
[REPEATED. AS REQUESTED]
COPIES го
MR BICKFORD, LEGAL ADVISERS, SIR.CLIVE ROSE, CABINET OFFICE. MAG. DEWINTON, LAW OFFICE'S DEPT. MK-A.M. F. WEBB. LORD CHANCELLOR'S
OFFICE MISS.M.A. CLAYTON. HOME OFFICE,
CONFIDENTIAL