Many Hurdles for Death Penalty

Prime Minister Bruce Golding said the government might still opt to retain the death penalty even if the senate votes against it.



Yesterday, members of the House of Representatives for the second time in almost three decades voted unanimously for the retention of hanging in Gordon House.



However, the Senate will have a say, by way of a similar vote, whether the death penalty should be retained.



Mr. Golding said the message sent by the MPs might be too strong to ignore.



However, there are still a number of hurdles that still need to be overcome before hanging can be resumed.



Chief among these will be getting past a Privy Council ruling which states that having a convicted person on death row for more than five years amounts to cruel and inhumane treatment.



Mr. Golding said the parliament would have to move to have the time period extended.