A delegation of Caribbean leaders gathered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to engage with senior clergy from the Church of England. Their discussion centered on the growing demands for slavery reparations and calls for the independence of regional territories under British, French, Dutch, and U.S. oversight.
The Caricom reparations commission, representing the Caribbean trade bloc, embarked on a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom. They planned to meet with British lawmakers to push for reparations, marking their second visit since November. The mission of the commission is to establish a framework for negotiations, addressing the long-overdue need for reparatory justice.
Hilary Beckles, chairman of Caricom’s reparations commission, emphasized the urgency by stating, “We in the Caribbean remain the most colonized part of the world, and this has to stop.” His comments follow dissatisfaction among Caribbean leaders regarding a suggestion from a U.K. lawmaker concerning repayment to Britain for historical investments.
“I am quite sure the people of the Caribbean… will be looking to see whether their king… is going to advance this conversation about sovereignty, decolonization, and reparatory justice for these crimes that have been committed,” Beckles stated.
David Comissiong, Barbados’ ambassador to Caricom, emphasized that reclaiming national sovereignty and self-determination is the first step in reparations. He described the meeting with senior clerics as “productive,” labeling them as potential allies.
Comissiong praised King Charles III, noting his expressed sorrow for historic suffering. Yet, he criticized the U.K. for abstaining from a U.N. resolution that called for reparations and condemned the trafficking of enslaved Africans. European Union members also abstained, while Argentina, Israel, and the U.S. opposed the resolution.
Comissiong appreciated European countries’ gestures, including apologies, memorials, and preserving slavery-related sites. However, he stressed, “These are some preliminary gestures that we appreciate. But those gestures are not negotiations.”
An estimated 12 million Africans were forcibly taken by European powers from the 16th to the 19th century. Surviving the Atlantic crossing, these individuals were subjected to harsh slavery in the Caribbean.
During a press conference in London, commission members faced inquiries about criteria for reparations recipients. While the Caribbean resolution remains unclear, Ron Daniels of the National African-American Reparations Commission noted U.S. considerations focusing on land, economic development, and infrastructure advancements.
Caricom leaders seek a formal apology, education and healthcare improvements, development initiatives for Indigenous populations, repatriation, debt relief, and monetary compensation.
Jamaica plans to formally petition King Charles III to refer slavery reparations questions to the Privy Council, the island’s highest court, in September.
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