On June 4, Prime Minister Patterson, while visiting...

On June 4, Prime Minister Patterson, while visiting Toronto, said Jamaica was likely to resume executing death row prisoners, like Trinidad and Tobago. "After a reasonable time has been afforded for petitions to be heard, and there's no indication from the body of any reason why the penalty ought to be reversed, the law must take its course," he said. The statement came after Trinidad and Tobago hanged the first 3 of 9 convicted killers it sent to the gallows earlier this month. On June 12, the premier defended his Government's decision to resume hanging condemned killers, despite criticism of his remarks supporting the action. The comment drew sharp criticism from Hilarie Sobers, the former executive director of the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights. He said Patterson had "overstepped his bounds by making a statement about the speed with which executions are to be carried out."