Image of burning plantation during the 1831 rebellion led by Sam Sharpe in Jamaica.
The death of the queen is a reminder of the debt that Britain owes to Caribbean nations. Reparations are owed for slavery.
This article was originally published in The Voice online.
Demands for reparations are growing across the Caribbean, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
The British monarchy have come under heightened demands from several Caribbean countries to undergo the reparatory justice process and issue an apology for their part in the slave trade.
It comes after Royal tours of the Caribbean earlier this year led by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, followed by Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex were bundled by photo-ops disaster and tone deaf gifts.
Niambi Hall-Campbell, Chair of the Bahamas National Reparations Committee, said: “As the role of the monarchy changes, we expect this can be an opportunity to advance discussions of reparations for our region.”
Hall-Campbell went onto to send her condolences to the Royal family before and acknowledging how Charles spoke of the “appalling atrocity of slavery” as Barbados became a republic.
She said she hopes he would lead in “justice required of the times. And that justice is reparatory justice.”
The Bahamas, including Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda and St Lucia, all led calls for the monarchy to lead in reparations for their islands over the slave trade and long-standing effects of colonialism.
During Willim and Kate’s visit to the island in April this year, a spokesperson from the Bahamas National Reparations Committee (BNRC), wrote an open letter to the couple as protests engulfed the island.
“We were motivated to write the letter to show that we do not owe this family and the regime they represent anything and to reject the notion that we are the model colony that won’t rock the boat.
“Bahamians are not limited to only being a legal jurisdiction for financial services; and an ideal tourist destination. We are a free and sovereign nation and believe that it is time to change our narrative to reflect that.”
Caribbean nations including Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica and most recently Barbados are the only countries to have removed the Queen as head of state.
Jamaica has been most notable in its intentions to elect their own president followed by Antigua and Barbuda in the days after the Queen’s passing.
As former British colonies took in the news of the Queen’s passing, David Denny, General Secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration in Barbados told Reuters: ​​”Whoever will take over the position should be asked to allow the royal family to pay African people reparations,” said David Denny, general secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration, from Barbados.
“We should all work towards removing the royal family as head of state of our nations.”
Omali Yeshitela is chairman of the African Peoples Socialist Party, leader of the Uhuru Movement, and the Black is Back Coalition.
Netfa Freeman just returned from Cuba, where he was one of the coordinators of the National Network on Cuba's delegation to the U.S. May Day Brigade.
C. Liegh McInnis is a poet, short story writer, and former instructor at Jackson State University.
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