{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.012855209742895805, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0, 'mean_word_length': 5.573333333333333, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Human rights infringements, delays and the Privy Council: the conundrum of human rights and the death penalty in Trinidad and Tobago

ABSTRACT The intertwinement of human rights and capital punishment has been an enduring issue, invoking populous sentiments from both sides of the divide. The Commonwealth Caribbean in particular, has been confronted with unique circumstances in the last decade on the administration of the death penalty. This article explores three areas pertinent to understanding the long standing debate regarding capital punishment in Trinidad and Tobago; the constitutionality of the death penalty, ‘barriers’ to its application and contemporary arguments regarding law reform. The first section of this paper examines the constitution, existing statute and case law to illustrate the legality of the death penalty in Trinidad and Tobago. The second section elucidates on the human rights factor involved in the logistical application of the death penalty in the Commonwealth Caribbean, implications of the landmark Privy Council Pratt ruling and delays involved in the actual application of capital punishment in Trinidad and Tobago. The third portion of this article focuses on government attempts at constitutional amendment, abolition of the Privy Council and potential resultant human rights violations. This paper concludes that while the death penalty is constitutional within Trinidad and Tobago, there is a virtual moratorium on its application.