Garifuna applaud Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines

Speakers at the 12th International annual Garifuna conference 2025, have applauded the move by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), but believe there is still a long way to go in attaining reparations for the indigenous population, both in SVG and in the Diaspora.

Technical Advisor of the Garifuna Heritage Foundation Zoila Ellis-Browne.

The three-day conference opened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at the University of the West Indies Global Campus featuring academics, historians and scores of visiting Garifuna delegations from Belize, Guatemala as well as the USA.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, March, 6, 2025 Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that as of March 5, 2025, Balliceaux is part of the patrimony of SVG. The news came just days ahead of the rollout of National Heroes Day and Heritage activities which will conclude on Sunday, March 16 with the pilgrimage to Balliceaux.

Several of those who took the podium during the first two days of the conference said reparations is the ultimate justice for Garifuna people.

President of the Garifuna Hertiage Foundation (GHF), David ‘Darkie’ Williams, in delivering the opening address, said getting over the hurdles of educating Vincentians, across all age groups about indigenous history is still a struggle, adding, “the work has just begun”.

“Getting over those hurdles [has] been painfully slow, but then when things like Balliceaux happen, when we see the things like the children who just sang the anthem in the Garifuna language, then we know that the work cannot be simplified.” Williams added.

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