PARLIAMENTARIANS will in September decide if Jamaica should retain the death penalty for capital murder.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding tabled a motion in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, calling on the House to either affirm support for the death penalty, or request its removal, as specified in the Offences Against the Person Act.

He said that the matter would remain on the table of the House during the summer recess, which started Wednesday, and would continue to the first week of September. He said that he expects the vote by the end of September.

Responding to questions at Wednesday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Golding said a decision had been made from as far back as 1995 for a conscience vote in Parliament on the issue, but said that nothing had been done about it.

The prime minister said he had already advised Government MPs that they should vote according to their conscience. However, he could not say whether the Opposition would take the same position.