Corporal punishment was one of the issues both the Opposition and Government saw eye-to-eye in discussing yesterday during their crime talks, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said.
“The Opposition raised the question of hanging. We had a short discussion as to where we are on this issue,” Rowley told reporters.
In short, Rowley said both parties held the view that capital punishment should remain on our books “and should be the effective response to particular crimes. That being the case, we are divergent in our views, where this Government when in Opposition and is still of the view, as advised by thorough legal research, that we are only allowed to carry out capital punishment in Trinidad and Tobago, as reaffirmed by the Privy Council because of the savings law which took place at Independence.”
The PM said if we were to interfere and create new conditions to this law, T&T “will open the door for the Privy Council to permanently and effectively abolish capital punishment in Trinidad and Tobago.”
He said, however, that the Privy Council has indicated that capital punishment is lawful and can be carried out.
“The Privy Council has outlined the conditions under which it can be done. And that is, that all the proceedings must be concluded and upon conviction...that the capital punishment must be carried out within a five-year period.”
Rowley said it was for the State to be able to meet the Privy Council conditions.
“Where we have a divergence with the Opposition, is that they were proposing new arrangements for capital punishment and we are saying that the minute you do that... it means that the Privy Council will then permanently abolish it. The reason why they have not abolished it so far is because of the old law, which is beyond the reach of the Privy Council.”
Rowley said both parties have agreed to meet and discuss this issue further so that some hopeful agreement will be arrived at and take place.