TNAG-0931-FCO40-1149-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 49

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CONFIDENTIAL

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by Home Secretaries in the United Kingdom. They have to come to a decision in their own deliberate judgement, which may sometimes conflict with local opinion.

4.

Cases where the Governor's decision will be necessary are likely to arise soon, in the Turks and Caicos Islands (where a murder case is to be heard shortly) and in the British Virgin Islands (where two people have recently been sentenced to death for murder). The Governor of the British Virgin Islands, in particular, is concerned at the responsibility involved since he personally has conscientious objections to the death penalty. If he decides to commute, we may have to support him with a show of force if necessary, as in 1978.

5.

I shall keep you informed as events progress. I see no reason to alter the decision which I took in February of this year to continue our policy of not legislating on domestic matters for the dependencies against their wishes.

But you and the recipients of this minute will wish to be aware that that decision carries difficulties and may cause political problems here and in the territories concerned. I am sure that those problems can be contained but they are likely to cause considerable strength of feeling while they last.

6.

I am sending copies of this minute to Willie Whitelaw, Quintin Hailsham and Francis Pym; and to Sir Robert Armstrong.

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(CARRINGTON)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

3 December 1980

CONFIDENTIAL