Annex A A-1 to KOCI(?
Letter of the 8th December from Mr. K. Marks, MP to Lord Carrington, Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs
"When visiting the British Virgin Islands on the CPA
Conference earlier this year, I was surprised to discover that capital
punishment was still applicable on the islands for murder and indeed two men were awaiting trial at that time. Since then, I understand
that they have been sentenced to death.
Peter Blaker also informed me in a Parliamentary Question
on the 29th October that there are men also sentenced to death in
Belize and one held for trial in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It does seem to me that there is an anomaly here. These
Colonies have chosen dependency status and the prerogative of mercy
which the Crown held in this country before the abolition of the
death penalty is now apparently delegated to Governors. This does
seem to be a very considerable onus to place on Governors who are
very often intimately concerned with the life of the Colonies. I
think this applies particularly in the Turks and Caicos and the
British Virgin Islands where the populations are very small and the
Governors are known personally to most of the population.
In his reply to me of the 29th October, Peter Blaker pointed
out that Her Majesty has a residual power, on the advice of the
Government, to exercise the prerogative of mercy.
In view of the very considerable majority against capital
punishment in the House of Commons, may I urge you to advise Her Majesty to exercise this power in all cases in the remaining Colonies.
I have started an early day motion in the Commons on the lines of the request I have made to you.