Motion amended to include critical role of Rastafarians in call for reparations

A motion on the state of the reparations effort in St Vincent and the Grenadines has been passed by members of Parliament.{{more}}

The motion was moved by Senator Jomo Thomas, who is also the head of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Reparations Committee on May 29, and was debated during sittings of Parliament on May 29 and June 2.

Prior to being approved, the motion was amended to include a paragraph that recognizes the critical role that the Rastafarian community has played in keeping the issue of reparations alive in this country.

In his wrap-up, Thomas requested that the Parliament put on record “its high regard and commendation to the Rastafarian Community in St Vincent and the Grenadines and other progressive persons who have fought long and hard to keep the issue of reparations alive and to educate the Vincentian public on this issue.”

The senator also noted that the issue of reparations will be a seminal issue of the 21st century.

“It has been a debate for which I am glad that we had the opportunity to do because of the signal importance of the issue of reparations, not only to the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines but certainly to the people of the Caribbean and the wider world,” Thomas said.

All eight parliamentarians of the government side voted in support of the passing of the motion while the opposition parliamentarians declined to vote.(BK)