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2.
I
the status of law nor of Constitutional Conventions.
4.
It is also true that those Carribean Colonies where
executions have taken place do have varying degrees of elected
government whereas Hong Kong does not. This may form a
legitimate political and administrative justification for the
Secretary of State offering different advice to Her Majesty
in petitions emanating from those jurisdictions but this is not
a matter of Constitutional law but rather one of political
and administrative expediency.
5.
I agree that Hong Kong is in an anomalous situation
in relation to those other colonies where the death penalty has
been carried out. This has arisen largely in my opinion as a
result of political and administrative decisions rather than
from Constitutional law.
Tom Jonst
(F. T. M. Jones) Acting Attorney General
21. 9. 81.
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