Colonial Masters, CARICOM is coming as Reparations Committee established

By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

March 2, 2023 – The issue of reparations continues to loom large for Caribbean nations; as such, CARICOM has established a Reparations committee to take on all its former colonial enslavers.

The disclosure was made by the incoming Chairman of CARICOM and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit while responding to questions about support for reparations for Haiti at the closing of the 44^TH Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government meeting held in the Bahamas recently.

The questioned pointed to France as also being responsible for the Humanitarian crisis in the republic.

“CARICOM has taken a decision to establish a mechanism to engage our former colonial countries on the question of reparation, and each country was mandated to also establish a national reparation committee to engage on this subject,” he said.

This Committee will be instrumental for the region as it will provide a united front for Caribbean countries as they seek compensation and justice for the atrocities and exploitations that Caribbean people faced during slavery for over 400 years.

While indicating that he does not believe the region should just accept ‘apologies’ for the atrocities faced during slavery, Prime Minister Skerit said CARICOM has been engaging in discussions on the issue of reparations and will continue to do so.

“The discussion on reparations, including reparations for the Haitian people, is all part of the discussions that we’re having at the Caribbean Community level. There’s no doubt we believe as Caribbean people that some kind of recompense needs to be provided to us.

“We’ll continue to engage at the regional level but also at the national levels as well and engage the former colonial masters on the issue and the question of reparations for our countries,” Skerit stated.

Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley, also chimed in on the discussion, with: “We do take note of the fact that the Netherlands has started the ball, is it adequate,  is it appropriate? All of that may be the subject of many discussions and agreement and disagreement but suffice to say that a least the ball has started to roll with respect to the Netherlands statement.

Adding, “I think they need to go further, and I think that our engagement with Europe has to be at a level where… we place these matters for mature consideration recognising that we are the victims now of a double jeopardy.”

Motley committed the Caribbean Community to a subcommittee meeting “ shortly”; to be held to discuss the burgeoning issue in detail.

Earlier this month, the Trevelyan family, a former sugar plantation owner in Grenada, announced that it wants to set a world trend by paying reparations in a sum of £100,000, or approximately 120,478.00 USD, to the people of Grenada.

It demonstrated a small, yet positive step and precedent toward claiming financial reparations.