**Exhibit 12.1**

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**CERTIFICATIONS**

I, Francesco Caio, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report  on Form 20-F of Cable and Wireless plc;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report    does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state    a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances    under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the    period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial    statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly    present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations    and cash flows of the company as of, and for, the periods presented in this    report;

4. The company’s other certifying    officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure    controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e))    for the company and have:

|   | a. | designed such disclosure controls and procedures,        or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under        our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the        company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us        by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which        this annual report is being prepared; |
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|   | b.     | evaluated the effectiveness of the company's        disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions        about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as        of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation;        and |

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|   | c.     | disclosed in this report any change in the        company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred        during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected,        or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the company’s internal        control over financial reporting; and |

5. The company's other certifying    officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal    control over financial reporting, to the company's auditors and the audit    committee of company's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent    function):

|   | a. | all significant deficiencies and material        weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial        reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the company's        ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information;        and |
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|   | b.     | any fraud, whether or not material, that        involves management or other employees who have a significant role in        the company's internal control over financial reporting. |

Date: 21 JUNE 2004  /s/ FRANCESCO CAIO  Chief Executive Officer

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