It was reported that Dr Lloyd Barnett, chairman of...

It was reported that Dr Lloyd Barnett, chairman of the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights and a leading constitutional lawyer, accused Mr Patterson of using the death penalty for political purposes. He said the privy council's rulings do not outlaw the death penalty, but simply govern how it is implemented. For example, some other Caribbean countries which retain the privy council do execute prisoners. Dr Barnett said: "It is not that the government is saying ... let us make sure the cases are dealt with expeditiously - they are saying let us change the constitution so it becomes irrelevant whether the process is speeded up or not. The privy council has never said that capital punishment is unconstitutional. It has said that any civilised country that retains it should do so with regard to some essential principles of justice and human rights."