BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH the Federation’s continuing fight against the scourge of gun crimes, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy has reminded the nation that the death penalty is not off the books.
Addressing media representatives at his recent press conference, Dr. Harris explained that there was no consideration for the removal of that piece of law from the books.
“The law is there and at times people seem to forget that the death penalty has not been abolished, and it is a matter for the courts to impose in their wisdom. But the death penalty still remains on our books.”
Currently, St. Kitts and Nevis has recorded nine homicides for the year; six in January and three in March.
To this end, PM Harris stressed that “this government has no intention of removing it in the immediate future”.
Just last year, an advocacy group along with a number of European Union officials had called for regional leaders to abolish the law.
St. Kitts and Nevis is one of 11 countries in the Caribbean and also one of 59 in the world that still uses capital punishment for those convicted of murder.
Amnesty International, an internationally-acclaimed NGO, has described the use of the death penalty as being “cruel, inhuman and degrading”, and as such they strongly oppose its implementation.
“Amnesty opposes the death penalty at all times - regardless of who is accused, the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution,” the body said on its website.
During a conference held in Georgetown, Guyana in 2015, several EU representatives had lobbied for the law to be scrapped entirely, highlighting the detriments in the case of wrongfully putting someone to death.
However, when asked about the overcrowding of facilities in the region and the burden it places on developing countries, one representative indicated that funding could be sought to assist those nations from the European Union.
“The European Union provides significant funding to countries in the Caribbean through the European Development Fund and it has three programmatic lines, climate change, regional integration, and crime and security. So we are working with governments in the region to define exactly how these funds will be disbursed and it's an ongoing conversation.”
The Federation’s main penitentiary, Her Majesty’s Prison in Basseterre, is overcrowded and Dr. Harris, who is also the Minister of National Security, revealed to reporters that consideration is being given to constructing another facility, but he confessed that they have not done an evaluation on the cost of it as yet.
Asked if outside assistance would be sought for construction of the new prison under the EU programme, the Prime Minister indicate that they would first look at providing the resources before going internationally.
Meanwhile, in an interview with The St. Kitts and Nevis Observer last year, Dr. Harris had informed that leaving the death penalty on the books would be seen as a discouragement against criminal activities.
“It will help to send a strong message that homicides and all of these serious crimes are not to be tolerated...The government at this time will not remove any legislation or any mechanism that could help.”
St. Kitts and Nevis uses the noose while most developed countries, including the United States of America, use lethal injection or the electrical chair as their means of capital punishment.
The Federation last used the noose in 2009 when convicted murderer Charles ‘Al’ LaPlace was sentenced to death after chopping his wife to death.
According to reports, LaPlace had held his wife Diana against her will at a home they once shared in Sandy Point. It is while escaping capture that he reportedly dealt her several chops about her body in the presence of their neighbours.
