Capital punishment still among country's statutes

Monday, February 8, 2010 – As the issue of crime continues to occupy the minds of citizens, the minister responsible for national security has indicated that capital punishment or hanging can be handed down by the judiciary in casting judgement in criminal matters.

In an exclusive interview with the GIS, Senator Mayers made it clear that hanging is still on the law books of Saint Lucia.

He says the use of the gallows can serve as a deterrent to increasing violent crimes.

“There has been a perception that government has abandoned capital punishment and that hanging is no longer permitted in Saint Lucia but that is not the case. I have said on several occasions that we have nobody on death row at the moment but hanging is still an option open to the government, whenever there is somebody to execute.”

Senator Mayers says although he respects the independence of the judiciary, there is need for a review of the justice system to ensure that there is a time frame on how long a convicted criminal can remain on death row.

He says according to a Privy Council ruling, Saint Lucia's law, limits time on death row to five years after which the sentence is commuted to life in prison.

“We want to ensure that when, and if someone is sentenced to death through the High Court, that they are allowed to pursue all the options for appeal within a stipulated time and after they have exhausted all their appeals, we move swiftly to carry out the sentence. If that is done I think that will send a strong message to all the criminals that the government means business.”

The last hanging in Saint Lucia took place in October, 1995.

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