Caricom should take the lead in approaching the British government for assistance to address several problems affecting the region as part of reparations for slavery in the Caribbean, Professor Hilary Beckles believes.
Calling for a model of the Jewish Reparation Agency within the region, Sir Hilary said that a similar agency needs to be established in the Caribbean which would research the issue and make adequate representation on the matter. This agency, he contended, should be supported by Caricom as an official organ, and a case made for the British government to help the region to deal with issues such as health care, educational curriculum reform and debt relief.
Beckles was at the time delivering a lecture titled ‘Britain’s Black Debt: Repa-rations Owed the Caribbean for Slavery and Indigenous Genocide’ to a gathering at the Umana Yana. The lecture was the first instalment in a three-part lecture series sponsored by the Ministry of Culture to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the 1763 Berbice Revolt.
Caricom, Beckles argued, should take the lead on the matter since many governments are intimidated by taking an individual case to the British government. “I believe that each individual Caribbean government is intimidated in respect of the prospect of presenting a case to Britain,” he said, noting that this is a world where rich nations intimidate small nations. He added that smaller nations are more vulnerable in this world but said that Caricom should not allow this intimidation to continue.
He noted that governments needed to be at the forefront of this fight for reparations and not individuals, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or even parliaments. “Parliaments do not vote for reparations. Governments take a conscientious decision to take an action and engage other governments with respect to a discussion on the matter. If you go to Parlia-ment − dead in the water − it doesn’t happen,” he said.
Noting the contention by some that the trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery could be classified as probably one of the greatest historical crimes against humanity, Beckles said that reparation is about repairing historical damage and forging the foundation for the way of peace.
Beckles opined that the United States and the slave-owning countries in Europe are reluctant to issue an apology because this would mean having to address the issue of reparation. “Reparation says you should apologise for the crime, you should accept responsibility for the consequence of the crime, you should commit to repairing the damage as much as humanly possible and you must promise the person that you will never do it again. The person must feel that this thing will not recur,” Beckles. According to him the former slave-owning countries have indicated that they are not willing to apologise but only to issue a statement of regret where they would say sorry for what has happened without having to bear responsibility for the consequences.
Addressing the contention that the issue is too large and it is best to move on, Beckles disagreed saying that the “legal imagination” could easily find a solution. He said too that during slavery and colonization the European powers exploited the region for their own good while stifling development in the region.
Beckles noted that reparation for crimes against humanity is not without precedent since it is in existence today. According to him, the Jewish Reparation Fund is thriving, where payments are made annually. He also cited an example of reparation taking place between Japan and Korea.
Professor Beckles holds a BA (Hons) degree in Econo-mic History from Hull University in 1976 and a PhD from the same university. He has lectured at universities in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas and has published more than ten academic books. He is currently the principal of the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
