The Caribbean reparations movement has achieved significant international traction with major European powers beginning to acknowledge their historical responsibility for slavery, local advocates reported during an Organization of American States panel last week.
The virtual discussion, held as part of the VIII Week for People of African Descent, detailed how Caribbean nations were reshaping the global conversation on reparatory justice after decades of European resistance.
“Two years ago, the government of the Netherlands finally admitted to the world that they were responsible for the enslavement of African people in this region, and were prepared to initiate discussions about how they will repair the damage,” said Ambassador Dorbrene O’Marde, Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Reparation Support Commission.
Ambassador O’Marde revealed that a recent survey in Britain showed more than 50 percent of UK citizens now express sympathy toward reparations concepts, though most lack clear understanding of their government’s role in enslavement.
The growing international acceptance follows years of consistent advocacy by CARICOM nations. According to the Ambassador, in 2017 when Caribbean heads of government first approached seven European countries to discuss reparations, they were either ignored or offered development aid instead.
“Every one of them either ignored the letters from our leaders or responded with ‘Come on, let’s deal with some aid, but certainly this reparations thing is off the table,’” Ambassador O’Marde said.
Communications specialist Angelica O’Donoghue emphasized the movement’s focus on structural changes rather than simply receiving funds.
“Recognition demands that we unlearn the lies, rename, and rebuild,” O’Donoghue said, pointing to decolonization efforts targeting government systems, education curricula, and economic institutions that still reflect colonial hierarchies.
CARICOM’s strategy involves directing potential reparations toward social and economic development rather than individual payments, with funds managed through international development structures.
“We have the technical knowledge, the technical skills to be able to manage these funds in a way that stands international scrutiny,” Ambassador O’Marde explained. “Countries are not going to be paying compensation in any arbitrary way.”
Meanwhile, Dr Lenworth Johnson outlined the legal foundation for claims against European powers, citing precedents such as Germany’s $60 billion payment to Israel for Holocaust reparations and the recent $1.1 billion agreement between Germany and Namibia regarding colonial genocide.
Beyond international advocacy, the panelists discussed how grassroots initiatives are transforming public perception within Caribbean nations themselves.
O’Donoghue noted a recent primary school Calypso competition focused on reparations where students as young as seven demonstrated understanding of historical injustice.
“It’s leaving just the boardroom with the scholars and academics, and it’s now a national conversation in different spheres,” she said.
The panel coincided with preparations for a summit between CARICOM Heads of Government and the United Kingdom expected later this year, where reparations will feature prominently on the agenda.
“We are certainly at the highest point as far as indications of success about our advocacy and public awareness,” Ambassador O’Marde said. “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
