Leaders to receive first reparations submission in March

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles lecturing on the
topic ‘Reparation from Colonial Powers’.

When CARICOM leaders meet next month they will receive the first submission from the CARICOM Reparations Commission.

This was revealed by Principal of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles last Friday during his lecture on the topic ‘Reparations from Colonial Powers’ in Barbados.

He told those present in Lecture Theatre 1 of the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex at the campus that this report will be received at a heads of government meeting on March 10th-11th.

The Head of the Commission, added that contain in their submission will be a “10 point action plan.” This plan, once accepted by the governments, will then be used by them to engage in reparatory conversations with the European countries.

The first item in the plan is a formal apology to the people of the Caribbean. He noted that such an apology was necessary to fully bring about closure as well as “sense of freedom and detachment from this history.”  Other items included in the plan are reparations, the establishment of an indigenous people programme, literacy programme and a psychological rehabilitation programme.

In his lecture, Sir Hilary also said that the call for reparatory justice has increased within the region over time.

Audience members listening to what is being said.

“50 years ago the only people in the Caribbean who were speaking about reparations on a continual basis were the Rastafarian movement, they were the ones who were calling for reparatory justice… it has spilled out of the Rastafarian community and into the wider society where everyone has realised that something must be done to address these crimes against humanity, this will become the movement of this century.” (MG)