THE Government of Guyana on Thursday said it is not rushing to remove the death penalty from its statute. The statement made by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman at a post Cabinet press briefing, followed calls made by International Human Rights activists for Guyana to rid its law books of the capital punishment.Trotman however said if the APNU+AFC administration becomes inclined to abolish the death penalty then it will be done after wide-spread consultations.

“Right now we are not in a position to say that we will be entering into consultations to add to the penalties or to remove them. We don’t feel the impetus right now,” the Minister stated.

Notwithstanding Government’s position on the abolition of the death penalty, Trotman, who is also a lawyer, referenced the 20 year old moratorium on the death penalty here.

He said while Guyana is party to many human rights conventions and treaties, the country is being asked to sign on to varying agreements that advocate for the death penalty to remain part of the country’s legislation.

The Anti-terrorism legislation makes provision for the death penalty. The death penalty being part of law is a requirement by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF); Guyana is mandated to comply with that provision so as not to be blacklisted by the body.

“We are aware indeed of the recent laws dealing with countering terrorism [that] include the death penalty. Those laws brought us into compliance with FATF – we are found placed in a position where international credible organisations are calling on us to enact certain laws which we comply with so that we may not be put on certain lists where terrorism is concerned,” Trotman told reporters.

He noted that his administration does not “relish taking lives wantonly.” “We have no intentions of enforcing it but at the present time government is not rushed to remove it from the books.”

He stressed however that should Government change its position, widespread consultation with the people of Guyana would have to be done.

Even as the European Union (EU) has been pushing, not only for Guyana, but also Caribbean territories to abolish the death penalty, the Minister noted that “even now within the EU there is a strong clamour for the return of the death penalty”
“… the president of Turkey is himself calling for the restoration and France itself and its allies had commenced after the Paris attacks — a series of reprisal attacks in Syria, Iraq and Iran and Libya …and the question is whether bombing communities from 30,000 feet above ground and killing persons including some innocent because these bombs don’t differentiate between hostiles and innocents…whether in a sense this was not a form of the death penalty being advanced by some of the very countries that are asking you to remove from your books the death penalty?” asked Trotman.

He said the issue of the abolishment of the death penalty has not been swept under the carpet. “We have the matter under active consideration,” Minister Trotman stated.

Meanwhile, Commissioner with the International Commission against the Death Penalty, Justice Navi Pillay on Wednesday called for the re-examination of Guyana Terrorism legislation specific to the death penalty.

She said the Terrorism Act has 12 provisions relative to the death penalty. “You don’t pass a law just because something terrible has happened; Law is not done emotionally. The rule of law follows international standards and Guyana is very much a part of the international community, has passed many international treaties and so they are bound to pass laws that are certain and definite and not responding each time to terrorism acts committed here, France or wherever.”

Guyana’s law has been amended to allow for the death penalty only in circumstances where members of the joint service or judiciary are killed while on duty. But notwithstanding this amendment to the law, a High Court Judge sentenced a man found guilty of murder of his two brothers to death.

Justice Pillay’s plea came just prior to the beginning of the judicial colloquium comprising of local judges and magistrates.

“We will lend our voice to ask Guyana to advance forward and not go backward,” she stated.