driumle
Mr Harding
Mr Day
Sir E Youde
PS/Mr Ridley
CONFIDENTIAL
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
[HKG-380/2
30 OCT 98
30
No
BBR
2
16) W..
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
20)(25
B
A
Problem
1.
To recall to Ministers the issues involved over the exercise
of capital punishment in the Dependent Territories and to draw
attention to the particular problem in the British Virgin Islands.
Recommendation
2. I recommend that the current policy of non-intervention in the
domestic legislation of the Dependent Territories be maintained.
Mr Ridley wishes to draw the attention of his Ministerial colleagues
to problems likely to arise over particular cases, and to suggest
that Cabinet colleagues be informed. I submit a draft minute from
Mr Ridley to the Secretary of State, and a draft letter from the
Secretary of State to the Prime Minister.
Background
3.
The background to this problem as a whole is in my submission
of 29 January, which invited Ministers to consider whether to maintain
the present policy or to impose abolition against the wishes of the
local Legislatures.
Ministers decided to continue the present policy.
4. Since then a number of cases have arisen in Dependent Territories
which may result in the local Governors having to decide whether the
death penalty should be carried out. These are annexed. In practice,
those in Belize are likely to be commuted on appeal. The most serious
cases are therefore those in the Turks and Caicos Islands and in the
British Virgin Islands.
C.C. HKG 380/48.5/1
CONFIDENTIAL
/5.
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
827 847