By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

IN light of the country’s soaring murder count, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Friday expressed his support for capital punishment, saying he remains a strong advocate for hanging.  

Although the law allows for capital punishment, The Bahamas held its last execution in January 2000, when convicted murderer David Mitchell was hanged.

“I'm a strong advocate of hanging and my position has not changed,” Dr Minnis told reporters on the sidelines of his book presentation to The Bahamas Christian Council. “There are many who would argue that because it has not been done for a long time, and because of the position of the Privy Council, then we should take it out of the law books because we have not done it.

“It should be done,” Dr Minnis said.  

The debate on capital punishment comes on the heels of 15 people being killed so far this year.

 On, Monday Great Commission Ministries president Bishop Walter Hanchell told reporters that opposing the death penalty is against the will of God. However, retired Mount Tabor Senior Pastor Bishop Neil Ellis said if the government won’t enforce death penalty laws it should remove them from the books.  

Asked if he believed capital punishment would be a crime deterrent, Dr Minnis said if people knew that their punishment could result in hanging it could reduce the country’s crime.  

“We've seen examples where hanging has occurred, the violence subsequently subsided or decreased dramatically. I think if individuals knew that their life would be terminated by hanging, I think it would have a great impact,” he said.  

Earlier this month, former Cabinet Minister Leslie Miller said legislators lack the guts to make capital punishment happen again.  

Meanwhile, Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said she won’t join the bandwagon for reinstating capital punishment because its return is unrealistic. She said the focus should be on taking young people off the streets and teaching them a better way to live.

In 2006, the London-based Privy Council ruled that the country’s mandatory death sentence for convicted murderers was unconstitutional. Many believe the Privy Council would never uphold the death penalty.