158
GPS 738 IMMEDIATE
HER CAT A
FM HAMILTON 271443Z
CONFIDENTIAL
HKC 386THIS IS A COPY
нка
RECEIVED IN RETENORSJINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED
31 OCT 1977,
163
CONFIDENTIAL AN
D PERSONAL
UNDER FOI
DESK OFFICER
EXEY
No но
INDEX
PA
No
Ex
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER PERSONAL 32 OF 27 OCTOBER 1977.
MY TELNO PERSONAL 31: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
1.
2.
I HAVE NOW CONSULTED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS ARRANGED.
ITS MEMBERS (UNCHANGED SINCE APRIL) WERE, OF COURSE, AWARE OF THE RECENT PETITION TO THE QUEEN. THEY TOOK THE VIEW THAT (1) THE PART OF THE PETITION DEALING WITH THE ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WAS OUTSIDE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY,
(2) THE PART DEALING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL REPRIEVES ADDED NOTHING MATERIAL TO THE PETITION PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO SIR EDWIN LEATHER ON BURROWS' BEHALF IN EARLY MARCH ( DETAILS OF WHICH WERE SENT TO STANLEY WITH LLOYD'S LETTER OF 14 APRIL AND WHICH THEY HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AT THE TIME).
3. THIS ASSESSMENT SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME. TO HAVE OBTAINED ABOUT 6000 SIGNATURES WAS CERTAINLY QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT BY LOCAL STANDARDS (PETITIONING HAS LONG BEEN A BERMUDIAN PRACTICE), EVEN IF SOME MAY HAVE BEEN INVALID. (6033 WOULD REPRESENT 15 RATHER THAN 25 PER CENT OF THE ADULT POPULATION - PARA 4 OF YOUR T.U.R.). THE ORGANISERS THE RADICAL WING, NOT, REPEAT NOT, A REPRESENTATIVE CROSS-SECTION, OF THE P.L.P. HAD, NEVERTHELESS, HOPED FOR MANY MORE. ACCORDING TO OUR POLICE SOURCES, THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED BY THE PUBLIC RESPONSE. THIS MIGHT, INDEED, HAVE PROVED EVEN MORE DISAPPOINTING HAD THEY NOT GENERALLY PRESENTED THE PETITION AS ONE PRINCIPALLY DIRECTED AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MANY BLACK BERMUDIANS, HOWEVER ILLOGICALLY, ARE READY TO SUPPORT ITS ABOLITION YET FEEL SUCH SHAME ABOUT BURROWS AND TACKLYN'S ACTIONS THAT THEY DO NOT FAVOUR REPRIEVES. ONE INDICATION OF THIS FEELING IS THE
FACT THAT THE EARLIER PETITION ABOUT BURROWS WAS SIGNED ONLY BY
1200 PEOPLE.
CONFIDENTIAL
14.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.