Garth Rattray | My views on reparations for slavery

Culture Minister Olivia Grange led a Jamaican delegation to London to hand-deliver a petition addressed to King Charles III, asking him to “refer three legal questions to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council regarding whether slavery was lawful under English and international law, and if Britain has a legal duty to provide reparations”.

The British government immediately responded, “the UK does not and will not pay reparations”.

Enslaved people were stripped of everything: their freedom, dignity, humanity, right of self-determination, life choices, culture, identity, education, language, religion, health, and family unity.

When they were British colonies, Caribbean countries were stripped of their natural resources, which went to build Britain physically and economically. Without the colonies, Britain would not have been an empire. And the means of extracting those resources began with slavery.

Eventually, Britain viewed legalised slavery as non-profitable and officially ended it in 1834. The British Government compensated the slave owners for the loss of their enslaved property (chattel), but not the people to whom so much wrong was done. It borrowed £20 million for the compensation of ex-slave owners. The enslaved people received nothing but a few empty promises.

The ex-colonies were left with a deficit. The chasm between the former masters and the former slaves only widened over the centuries, fuelled by the enduring advantages gained by the former masters.

The historical case for reparations is compelling. For centuries, the transatlantic slave trade and slavery enriched European powers while millions of people of African origin were deprived of their freedom, their labour, and, in many cases, their lives.

I therefore agree that our people should receive reparations. However, I believe that any reparations petition should be made by a unified CARICOM delegation and it should not primarily be about monetary payments.

I can’t imagine Britain agreeing to take responsibility for past events during slavery. Although it would be only fair and just, the legal implications of such an admission would be indicting and perhaps actionable. They won’t expose themselves to possible legal proceedings, so we should not even go there.

Since it is extremely unlikely that Britain will admit to its unspeakable wrongs during slavery, and since giving ‘cash’ as compensation for slavery and the long-term effects of slavery is risky (because of rampant corruption), complicated (to figure out who gets how much and when), and improbable (because it would be extremely expensive), reparations should not be primarily about money.

I believe there is a much more constructive way of approaching the issue. If you want reparations, ask Britain to increase its assistance in building the Caribbean. Britain could donate schools and increase grants and assistance for existing schools, hospitals, universities, and technical institutions.

It could do more to develop our roads, water systems, energy and digital infrastructure, research and innovation; help our agricultural industries to become more productive; and perhaps give Caribbean countries meaningful opportunities to sell the non-traditional crops that we can produce.

The modern international trading system is built around rules designed to prevent arbitrary discrimination between countries. The World Trade Organization operates on principles of non-discrimination, although its rules also contain provisions allowing various forms of preferential treatment for developing countries.

Even though it is possible that Britain could access products at a lower cost elsewhere, it already has a preferential trade agreement with Caribbean countries through the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement.

But I would like to see even more assistance to all our (large and small) farmers, with a view to upgrading and modernising farming across the various islands. Other manufacturing industries could be included to provide a wider range of trading opportunities for our governments. The purpose would be to help those industries grow until they become genuinely competitive internationally. I would also like to see Britain establish factories in the Caribbean.

There is a difference between receiving a handout, even if we are genuinely owed it, and being given an opportunity to improve ourselves.

Britain should also be asked to fund more scholarships for Caribbean students in medicine, engineering, science, technology, and other critical fields. Imagine modern laboratories being established at Caribbean universities. Imagine partnerships between British and Caribbean universities that produce research relevant to our particular problems.

God only knows how a monetary compensation would be spent. But a properly equipped hospital can serve people for decades, a school can educate thousands of children for decades, a university can produce generations of professionals, and a modern agricultural industry can create employment and foreign exchange year after year.

The one-sided wealth generated through slavery had far-reaching and long-lasting deleterious consequences. Therefore, reparations should be about repairing consequences, not merely calculating a financial penalty. Committing to more beneficial trading agreements and investing in our development are gestures of compensating for the inequities brought about by slavery and colonialism.

All arrangements should be quantifiable and transparent. Caribbean governments should identify specific projects. Britain should monitor how its contributions are used, and a system of accountability must be established and maintained.

Because our handicap was so great, we literally cannot be as internationally viable as we could be. We need partnerships, not handouts. We deserve Britain’s commitment to assist more in our development.

We would benefit from better educated children, better health, better infrastructure, and stronger industries. Perhaps the most meaningful reparation of all is not to pay us for the past, but to help us build a better future because of the past. That would be a legacy.

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.