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Some seeking party's, constituents' help with 'conscience' vote
Sunday, November 09, 2008
WHEN Jamaican legislators cast conscience votes on the retention of the death penalty later this year, at least 21.25 per cent are expected to vote 'yea' while at least 16.25 per cent are likely to vote 'nay'.
This is according to an informal Sunday Observer survey which canvassed 55 of the total 80 parliamentarians - 40 members of parliament (MPs) and 15 senators.
A resolution calling for a conscience vote on the death penalty is soon to be put before the Jamaican Parliament.
Of the 20 Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MPs polled, eight said they supported the death penalty, six opposed it, three were undecided and three declined to comment.
An equal number of People's National Party (PNP) MPs were polled. Five of them said they were in favour of the death penalty, five opposed, six were undecided and four declined to comment.
Among the senators who participated, 10 represented government and five were from the Opposition. Only one from the government side supported capital punishment, compared with three from the opposition side. One from either side opposed and an equal number was undecided. Another seven from the government side declined comment.
"I wasn't for the death penalty, but since the Ananda Dean incident, I am for it," said JLP MP for St Andrew North Central, Karl Samuda. He was making reference to the 11-year-old girl who was abducted and killed last month.
Fellow party member James Robertson, who holds the seat for St Thomas Western, said: "As long as we have the requisite modern scientific tools, then yes. We must bring our labs and our police force up to the 2008 standards first. Until then, no, I don't support it."
A conscience vote or free vote is a type of vote where legislators are each expected to vote according to their own personal conscience rather than according to official party lines. However, a number of the politicians we polled said they were either awaiting an official party position or consensus from their constituents before they took
a decision.
"I am still consulting with my constituents," said Roger Clarke (PNP), MP for Westmoreland Central.
Colin ************an, who represents the constituency of St Catherine South Eastern, said: "I don't know where conscience comes in when you have a constituency to represent. What I can say is that the vast majority of my constituents are in support of it so as an MP I will have to represent the vast views. I don't know where conscience comes in."
And party leader Portia Simpson Miller, who holds the St Andrew South Western seat, said: "I'm not indicating until the party takes a core position."
Chapter 3 section 14 of the Jamaican Constitution addresses the issue of capital punishment and says "No person shall intentionally be deprived of his life save in execution of a sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been convicted". However, human rights activists argue that Jamaica's position is in contravention of International Law, citing for example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which affirm the right to life and to which Jamaica is a signatory.
While in Opposition, the JLP articulated its intention to resume hanging - which was last performed in this country in 1988 - but since taking office last September, no such sentence has been handed down. Prime Minister Bruce Golding has indicated that a resolution calling for a conscience vote on the death penalty is soon to be put before the Jamaican Parliament. The motion, which was drafted by the Attorney General's Department is now ready for presentation to the House but it is not certain when it will be laid.
"I don't want to be drawn into any conscience vote. The government should carry out the laws of the land," Opposition senator Mark Golding told the Sunday Observer.
The debate over the death penalty as punishment for crime has heated up in recent weeks, with at least two ministers of religion deviating from the traditional conservative stance of the church and advocating for the resumption of hanging.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...LTY_ISSUE_.asp
Sunday, November 09, 2008
WHEN Jamaican legislators cast conscience votes on the retention of the death penalty later this year, at least 21.25 per cent are expected to vote 'yea' while at least 16.25 per cent are likely to vote 'nay'.
This is according to an informal Sunday Observer survey which canvassed 55 of the total 80 parliamentarians - 40 members of parliament (MPs) and 15 senators.
A resolution calling for a conscience vote on the death penalty is soon to be put before the Jamaican Parliament. Of the 20 Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MPs polled, eight said they supported the death penalty, six opposed it, three were undecided and three declined to comment.
An equal number of People's National Party (PNP) MPs were polled. Five of them said they were in favour of the death penalty, five opposed, six were undecided and four declined to comment.
Among the senators who participated, 10 represented government and five were from the Opposition. Only one from the government side supported capital punishment, compared with three from the opposition side. One from either side opposed and an equal number was undecided. Another seven from the government side declined comment.
"I wasn't for the death penalty, but since the Ananda Dean incident, I am for it," said JLP MP for St Andrew North Central, Karl Samuda. He was making reference to the 11-year-old girl who was abducted and killed last month.
Fellow party member James Robertson, who holds the seat for St Thomas Western, said: "As long as we have the requisite modern scientific tools, then yes. We must bring our labs and our police force up to the 2008 standards first. Until then, no, I don't support it."
A conscience vote or free vote is a type of vote where legislators are each expected to vote according to their own personal conscience rather than according to official party lines. However, a number of the politicians we polled said they were either awaiting an official party position or consensus from their constituents before they took
a decision.
"I am still consulting with my constituents," said Roger Clarke (PNP), MP for Westmoreland Central.
Colin ************an, who represents the constituency of St Catherine South Eastern, said: "I don't know where conscience comes in when you have a constituency to represent. What I can say is that the vast majority of my constituents are in support of it so as an MP I will have to represent the vast views. I don't know where conscience comes in."
And party leader Portia Simpson Miller, who holds the St Andrew South Western seat, said: "I'm not indicating until the party takes a core position."
Chapter 3 section 14 of the Jamaican Constitution addresses the issue of capital punishment and says "No person shall intentionally be deprived of his life save in execution of a sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been convicted". However, human rights activists argue that Jamaica's position is in contravention of International Law, citing for example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which affirm the right to life and to which Jamaica is a signatory.
While in Opposition, the JLP articulated its intention to resume hanging - which was last performed in this country in 1988 - but since taking office last September, no such sentence has been handed down. Prime Minister Bruce Golding has indicated that a resolution calling for a conscience vote on the death penalty is soon to be put before the Jamaican Parliament. The motion, which was drafted by the Attorney General's Department is now ready for presentation to the House but it is not certain when it will be laid.
"I don't want to be drawn into any conscience vote. The government should carry out the laws of the land," Opposition senator Mark Golding told the Sunday Observer.
The debate over the death penalty as punishment for crime has heated up in recent weeks, with at least two ministers of religion deviating from the traditional conservative stance of the church and advocating for the resumption of hanging.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...LTY_ISSUE_.asp
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