The death penalty by hanging is the law of the land and the People's Partnership Government will abide by that law, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday.
She added that at present, Government is looking at the categorisation of murders and the degree of murders, as well as the number of people on Death Row who are scheduled to be hanged and those who have been there for over five years.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the post-Cabinet press conference at the Coco Reef Hotel in Tobago, where she expressed regret that the issue of the death penalty is being debated by members inside and outside the Cabinet.
On Wednesday, Justice Minister Herbert Volney became the latest Minister to speak on the issue, saying hangings should take place in public so the people will have fear of the law and for God.
"I have seen this issue is being debated in the media by persons in the Cabinet and outside the Cabinet, which is regrettable. The decision has to be a collective one of the Cabinet and should be discussed by the Cabinet and shared with the national community," Persad-Bissessar said.
"That being said, it is the law of the land and therefore I do not understand the debate if the law is on our statute books. We will act according to the rule of law. There is nothing wrong with people having personal views on issues, but at the end of the day it is the collective view that is the important one."
She said just because people in the Partnership have differing views on the death penalty, it does not mean that there is a divide in the party.
"I want to give the assurance, I have absolutely no reason to believe that there is any crack, or split, or mashing up of the People's Partnership Government. At the same time I reiterate we are human beings and we will have differences of opinion, but none of those thus far have been sufficient, of such great importance to cause split or mash up of the Partnership," she said.
She said the death penalty has to be reviewed as it pertains to the type of murder committed.
"Why it should be the death penalty is the final penalty for every homicide? In other countries where the death penalty is law, they have gone into the degrees of murder and some of the most heinous crimes we will have the death penalty and there may be others, there may be circumstances that do not merit that ultimate, that you die. It is something we are considering actively and our ministerial committee is addressing that," she said.
"Should we resume hangings? Should we not resume hangings? It is the law of the land. For the time being, that is the law of the land, as far as we can we will abide by the rule of law and implement the law of Trinidad and Tobago."
