The Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme...

The Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Sir Dennis Byron, called for careful consideration to be given to the capital punishment debate. Addressing the legal fraternity in the Bahamas at a luncheon marking the start of the new legal term, Sir Dennis said "what the obligation is for countries that have not abolished the death penalty is to impose it only for the most serious offence and pursuant to a final judgement rendered by a competent court." The Chief Justice also noted that there were limitations applicable to states which seek to carry out the death penalty. "First is the position or application of the provision subject to certain procedural requirements whose compliance must be strictly observed and received and secondly, the application of the death penalty should be limited to the most serious crimes and must not be related to political offences."