Caribbean Leaders Unite Against Reparations Demand
Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley has taken a firm stance against a suggestion by a UK lawmaker that Britain’s former colonies should repay it for its historical investment in them. In a scathing rebuke, Mottley described the claim as ‘asinine’ and called for justice and history to be respected.
At the heart of the controversy is a recent post by Suella Braverman, a former British Home Secretary and current member of the anti-immigration Reform UK party. Braverman wrote that the British Empire ‘did so much good for the world’ and suggested that former colonies should pay back Britain for its investment. However, Mottley was quick to respond, pointing out the historical context of colonialism and slavery.
‘I cannot believe we are being asked to respond to the suggestion that the descendants of the enslaved should pay for the machinery that oppressed them,’ Mottley wrote on X. ‘The Caribbean does not owe Britain for slavery, for colonial extraction, or for laws that treated African people as chattel. We are not asking for charity. We are asking for justice, and history itself has already told the truth.’
Mottley’s comments came after Caribbean leaders met in St. Lucia to discuss issues including slavery reparations. The meeting was part of a regional trade bloc, Caricom, which aims to promote economic cooperation and unity among its member states. The leaders also discussed the launch of a new slavery reparations manifesto, which was unveiled during a reparations conference in Ghana.
Under Mottley’s leadership, Barbados cut ties with Queen Elizabeth II in November 2021 and ceased to be a constitutional monarchy. The move was seen as a significant step towards independence and self-governance. Mottley has also been a vocal advocate for climate change and has clinched a third consecutive term in office.
The issue of reparations has been a contentious one, with Britain insisting it will not pay to make amends. However, Caribbean leaders have called for a formal apology and various measures including debt cancellations. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, has estimated that 25-30 million Africans were uprooted for the purpose of slavery, with many sent to work on plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas.
As the debate continues, Mottley’s stance is a clear indication that the Caribbean will not be used as a prop for anyone’s politics. ‘Those who wish to speak on this matter should first take the time to read enough history to understand it,’ Mottley wrote on X.
Key statistics:
- 25-30 million Africans were uprooted for the purpose of slavery.
- Many were sent to work on plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas.
- Barbados cut ties with Queen Elizabeth II in November 2021.
Caribbean Leaders Unite Against Reparations Demand
Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley has taken a firm stance against a suggestion by a UK lawmaker that Britain’s former colonies should repay it for its historical investment in them. In a scathing rebuke, Mottley described the claim as ‘asinine’ and called for justice and history to be respected.
The issue of reparations has been a contentious one, with Britain insisting it will not pay to make amends. However, Caribbean leaders have called for a formal apology and various measures including debt cancellations.
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, has estimated that 25-30 million Africans were uprooted for the purpose of slavery, with many sent to work on plantations in the Caribbean and the Americas.
As the debate continues, Mottley’s stance is a clear indication that the Caribbean will not be used as a prop for anyone’s politics. ‘Those who wish to speak on this matter should first take the time to read enough history to understand it,’ Mottley wrote on X.
