TNAG-0600-FCO40-748-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 105

GPS 405

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

GRAND TURK 121520Z

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51

1 5 AUG 1977 a

HKG 3801 нка

COPY

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO PERSONAL 31 OF 12 AUGUST

INFO SAVING BELMOPAN TORTOLA (PERSONAL), GRAND CAYMAN,

MONTSERRAT (PERSONAL)

FOR WIAD

YOUR TEL TO BELMOPAN TEL NO PERSONAL 76

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

96

1. AS THERE HAS BEEN NO CASE IN RECENT YEARS I CAN ONLY GUESS

AT LOCAL ATTITUDES. ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY ACK- NOWLEDGE VIRTUAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF CARRYING OUT EXECUTION IN GRAND TURK I DOUBT IF LOCAL OPINION WOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY

UNANIMOUS TO AVOID UNDESIRABLE CONTROVERSY IF ABOLITION WAS

PROPOSED IN LOCAL LEGISLATURE. I WOULD NOT THEREFORE FAVOUR COURSE (11). SAME DIFFICULTY WOULD ARISE FROM

LOCAL CONSULTATIONS NECESSARY TO

EFFECT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT UNDER (1) PARTICULARLY AS MINISTERS HERE MIGHT SEEK OTHER CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION AT SAME

TIME.

2. COURSE (V) WOULD ALSO BE UNSATISFACTORY, SINCE EFFECT MIGHT NOT BECOME APPARENT TO FUBLIC OPINION UNTIL AN UNDESIRABLY

LATE STAGE. IT WOULD NOT AVOID PUBLIC AGITATION DURING AND

AFTER TRIAL OR RELEASE GOVERNOR FROM CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

TO MAKE HIS OWN DECISION FIRST. IN PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE

E.G. INVOLVING MURDER OF ISLANDER BY WHITE U.K. CITIZEN

WHERE EXCO HAD ADVISED AGAINST COMMUTATION GOVERNOR MIGHT BE

PLACED IN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.

3. I WOULD THEREFORE FAVOUR (111), OR (IV) UNILATERAL

ORDER IN COUNCIL NOT INVOLVING LOCAL CONSULTATION SO THAT EVERY-

ONE KNEW WHERE THEY STOOD FROM BEGINNING OF TRIAL:

FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING.

WATSON

[REPEATED

AS REQUESTED]

FILES

COPIES то

H K D G D

WIAD

M AND CD

*

RES D MR POSNETT

(104)

•

MR BICKFORD, LEGAL ADVISERS. SIR.CLIVE ROSE, CABINET OFFICE. MR.G. DEWINTON, LAW OFFICE'S DEPT. MR-A-M.F.WEBB, LORD CHANCELLOR'S

OFFICE. MISS.M.A. CLAYTON. HOME OFFICE.

CONFIDENTIAL

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