REVISED DRAFT
CONFIDENTIAL
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT OVERSEAS TERRITORIES
NOTE BY FCO LEGAL ADVISERS
Introduction
1. Capital punishment for murder is imposed by the law
of the following dependent overseas territories (DOTS):
Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman
Islands, Montserrat, the Turks and Caicos Islands and
Hong Kong. It is also embodied in the laws of the five
West Indies Associated States (including Anguilla) and in
the law of Southern Rhodesia.
Methods of Securing Abolition or Suspension of Capital
Punishment
2. Abolition or suspension of capital punishment in any of
the DOTS concerned could be effected by means of an
enactment of the local legislature, an Act of the United
Kingdom Parliament, or (except in the case of Belize,
Bermuda and Montserrat) an Order in Council. In the
Associated States (apart from Anguilla) abolition or
suspension could be effected only by the local legislature,
while United Kingdom legislation for Southern Rhodesia
would of course in present circumstances be ineffective.
3. In the Cayman Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and
Hong Kong, the Governor could be instructed by H M G to
force a bill through the local legislature under his
reserved legislative power (or by use of an official
majority in the legislative council), but not in Belize,
Bermuda, the. British Virgin Islands or Montserrat.
H M Commissioner could secure the passage of legislation
in Anguilla also.
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