Volney advocates public executions in T&T

A report in the Trinidad Express says Justice Minister Herbert Volney is advocating public hangings for convicted killers.

The former High Court judge returned to work Wednesday after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery in June and told the paper he is "ready to kick ball".

The Express asked the outspoken minister for his view on hangings. "I am not opposed in principle to hanging persons, but it has to be in respect to brutal and heinous crimes," he said.

He noted that he does not believe a person should be executed for certain crimes of passion. However he has no mercy for person who kill a child, an elderly person, a police officer or prison officer.

The Express quoted Volney as saying, "Persons should be hanged in Woodford Square, 6 or 7 a.m. in the morning. The people should see the hangings take place, they need to feel the fear of God and have fear for the law," he said.

Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner is leading the charge on hanging killers and he has said he is not giving up on that fight. On Warner's advice, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to set up a committee to look into the issue of resuming hangings.

Minister of trade and Industry Stephen Cadiz opposes hangings and has suggested that a return to family values would be a preferable approach to dealing with crime.

And social activist Verna St Rose Greaves has threatened to withdraw her support for the People's partnership Government if it agrees to resume hangings.

The Express asked Volney about other legal matters, including the administration of justice. Volney told the paper the appeal process is too slow and added that his ministry will work on speeding up the process.

However he noted that the ministry, which is a new one, is not yet fully operational.

"We haven't moved to our headquarters yet. We're having some difficulty as there is no UDeCOTT board in place yet, but we have a core group of lawyers working in the ministry performing the task of transforming the criminal justice system. We are working and I am well advanced in dealing with the probe into the Uff report," he told the Express.