I hope are have of this kind in
keletons
A B
HWV 383/2/3
Draft I Draft II
Mr Stratton
UNCLASSIFIED
HKG.380/2
RECEIVED IN 201
20 SEP 1978
0134 OFFLI
INDEX
Nr Pnyza ! & qc HKGD/
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS:
1.
ow Cupboards
PETITIONS TO HM THE QUEEN
13
PA
2079
Under cover of a letter dated 4 October 1977, Mr Wallace forward petitions from 4 prisoners seeking remission of sentence two of them of life imprisonment. These were no doubt inspired by the then impending Royal visit to BVI.
2. We were not able to trace the original of Mr Wallace's letter and enclosures, and I regret that action has been delayed on the duplicate set received in June.
3. Although the BVI Constitution gives the Governor delegated powers to grant (or refuse) the petitioners' requests, Mr Wallace felt that it was his duty to forward the petitions given that anyone has the right to petition The Queen. He thinks that our reply should be that Her Majesty is unable to intervene and that the petitioners must address themselves to him.
4.
I recommend that we should reply on those lines and attach a draft telegram accordingly. I further recommend that we send the Governor an apology and some encouragement to show mercy in considering whether to reduce the period of imprisonment.
18 September 1978
Pers
PC Duff
West Indian and Atlantic Department
{
UNCLASSIFIED IFIED