Dr Gonsalves explains reparations issue to PM David Cameron

During the recent United Nations General Assembly meeting in the United States, Senator Arnold Nicholson, QC of Jamaica, raised the question of reparations with United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron and Cameron’s response, according to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, merited his interjection.

“He (Cameron) said that he does not want to look to the past, but the future,” explained Gonsalves on Monday,{{more}} during a press conference at Cabinet Room, noting that he went on to explain his concept of reparations to Cameron.

“I said that the issue is not an issue of the past, but one of the present and the future,” said the PM, who added that he said to Cameron that it is not a question of a compensation package based on the idea of how much each slave was worth at the time, but more so of those suffering from the effects of slavery, as we are looking at a legacy of underdevelopment because of native genocide and African slavery. Gonsalves noted that this legacy of underdevelopment in certain places is linked to native genocide and slavery, “and we have to work together to correct it.”

The Prime Minister also stressed that he told Cameron that the conversation we want to have is to “have a special carve out for resources to be made available in recognition of underdevelopment from native genocide and African slavery.

“He said to me that I have given an idea for him to reflect on. I don’t want the issue to be presented in terms of carrying it forward to say that because 20 million pounds were given to the slave owners that you must start with a number like that for the slaves, for the descendants of slaves, but put that in today’s dollars. It is good to do that quantification and I have done that, but as a matter of practical policy. I talked about addressing the legacy of under-development arising from native genocide and African slavery and once we shape the conversation in that way, I believe we can have a sensible dialogue,” stressed the PM.

The Prime Minister said that as it relates to us in SVG, the area north of the Dry River has historically been the most underdeveloped part of the country and this is no accident, as history shows that the English killed and shipped off to Balliceaux the able-bodied people, and those who did not die were sent even further from these shores. He said that those who were left in St Vincent were the older folk, some children, women and not enough men.

“Those things constitute a legacy of underdevelopment that we have to correct,” stressed Gonsalves, adding that successive governments have been trying to correct the injustice.(LC)