On August 27, a delegation led by the Italian Vice...

On August 27, a delegation led by the Italian Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies' Committee on Foreign Affairs Enzo Trantino, and composed of Ambassador Claudio Moreno, and Hands Off Cain's representatives Sergio D'Elia, Secretary, and Elisabetta Zamparutti, Director of UN initiatives, had separate meetings with the Catholic Bishop of Trinidad, the Foreign Minister and the Attorney General. Bishop Anthony Pantin said that the death penalty was a political issue, and he thought the situation would not change in view of the elections in 2000. He also stressed that many Catholics in the island support the death penalty. Foreign Minister Ralph Maraj affirmed that many "personalities" in the country supported the death penalty. He said that the current law could be modified but not at this stage. In reference to the EU initiative at the UNGA, he affirmed that Trinidad & Tobago would not oppose the international trend towards abolition and would assume a position that reflected its amicable relationship with the EU. Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj, who was abolitionist when he with the opposition but now supports the death penalty, said that enforcement of the law implied executions, which were necessary to combat the high rate of criminality in Trinidad. He was of the opinion that the law could not be modified unless the social situation changed.