The University of Guyana and the Guyana Reparations Committee yesterday clarified that the apology they helped negotiate with the heirs of slave owner John Gladstone includes slavery and indentureship since he was integrally involved in both.
In an earlier release, the University had indicated that Gladstone owned plantations and managed several others not owned by him. Quamina and his son John, who led the 1823 uprisings, which are being commemorated this month were enslaved on Gladstone plantations amongst thousands of others. The university itself is founded on plantation lands upon which part of the uprising occurred, the UG release said.
“While no attempt is being made to equate the impact of slavery with that of indentureship, (John) Gladstone … is also recorded as “one of the initiators of schemes for the exporting of indentured labor to the Caribbean” (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/8961). It is also indicated their ancestor John Gladstone who died in 1851, might have owned the Whitby and Hesperus, the ships that transported the first East Indian Indentured to Guyana. The Gladstone family, which includes several historians will in fact offer an apology given the role their ancestors would have played here”, the UG statement said.
The short formal ceremony begins today at 9 am at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre at the University’s Turkeyen Campus. Groups from all umbrella bodies from ethnic and other cultural groups on all sides have been invited to hear the apology.
After the formal ceremony, there will be an inter-generational dialogue between University of Guyana students and members of the Gladstone family; a linking of the University of Guyana Library with digital archives of the Council of World Missions and an exhibition of scholarly work by University of Guyana scholars on the subject matter. Other events are being held over the weekend under the auspices of the Guyana Reparations Committee.
The University also stated that no financial negotiations of any kind regarding reparations were discussed or agreed upon with the Gladstone heirs.
“Reparation payments are not within the purview of the University and therefore cannot be part of any conversations between the national academic institution and the Gladstones”, UG said.
The UK Guardian had reported that a sum of 100,000 pounds would be handed over to the institution. UG said it is unclear whether the 100,000 pounds accepted by the Government of Grenada from the Trevelyan Family might have become conflated with the story about Guyana since the university was not the source for the international news stories.
UG said that the Gladstone family members who are arriving upon the invitation of the University of Guyana have for decades been supporting educational, historical and cultural projects through grants which are distinct from reparations which have benefitted other universities.
“The University of Guyana wishes to assure the public that as the national University it continues to be focused on positive and respectful projects based on evidence, historical fact, fairness, and respect for all our peoples. The University looks forward to this moment as one of the national recognition of the origins of our national trauma as well as our resilience, and to contribute to processes of personal and national healing, introspection and unity.
The Gladstone family apology is noted as an important first step in the process of reparation, official acceptance of historical culpabilities and the dismantling of systems that perpetuate these legacies today”, UG stated.
The public is invited to attend the event virtually or in person. For virtual registration members of the public can use the following link:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ob0sefwYTY-YVypQZPTePA#/registration
The apology takes place as part of the Diaspora and Migration Centre.
