TNAG-0600-FCO40-748-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 41

CONFIDENTIAL

executions in Belize and the British Virgin Islands in 1974 and 1972, the Governor's assessment is that there would be criticism in Hong Kong if, a death

sentence were now to be carried out in another Dependent Territory. The Leader of the Opposition was lobbied on the issue during her visit to Hong Kong in

April this year and, according to press reports, said that she believed that

death sentences should not be automatically commuted but each should be

considered on its merits.

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Implications in the Dependent Territories

6.

o/wetry)

The Governors of the Dependent Territories concerned were asked in August

to give a personal assessment of the current state of public opinion in their

territories on the issue of capital punishment. They were unanimous in saying that tire removal of the death penalty would be controversial.

oversial. In territories

where violent crime is a particular problem such as Hong Kong and Belize,

Governors predict local opposition to any moves to abolish capital punishment.

This [testament attitude is reflected in the local legislatures who

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clearly do not share the views of the United Kingdom Parliament on this question.

7. The British Virgin Islands made favourable comparisons between violent crime

in the British and United States Virgin Islands and claimed that this was

because of their retention of the death penalty.

8. But only in the case of Hong Kong (where capital punishment has in effect been suspended since 1973) did the Governor feel that local reactions would be

so adverse as to lead him to recommend that the abolition or suspension of the

death penalty should not be pursued. In the Caribbean, the feeling of

Governors is that it would be best imposed unilaterally and openly from outside.

9. It is a firm policy of the British Government to help to independence all

the remaining Dependent Territories. There are problems, in some cases `· insuperable, the implementation of this policy (Hong Kong, Gibralter,

Over

Belize, Tha mikskole).

kkals). On the other hand some of the remaining dependenci es

are reluctant for their own good, and sometizer selfish, reasons to proceed to

independence although they should be able to do so. In these cases the argument \could well be advanced to local governments that to remain a dependency implies

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CONFIDENTIAL