Two Caribbean Schools Face Off in Reparations Debate Final

After weeks of fiery debate and nail-biting match-ups, the grand finals of the International Reparation Debate Competition will take place today, Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m (Jamaica Time) at the UWI Regional Headquarters where one student from Trinidad and Tobago and one from Jamaica will clash in the finals.

This unprecedented competition brought together 24 secondary schools from across the Caribbean and the United Kingdom, each taking a bold stand on issues surrounding reparatory justice for chattel slavery and colonialism in the Caribbean, organisers at The UWI Mona Campus, Jamaica said in a release.

Schools from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, The Bahamas, Curaçao, and the United Kingdom engaged in intense heats, quarter-finals, and semi-finals, debating topical and complex questions such as:

Should descendants of enslavers bear the responsibility of their ancestors for reparation?

Should reparations be paid through community-based decision-making rather than government action?

Should CARICOM prioritize economic integration over reparation?

To what extent should former colonising countries influence the terms and conditions of reparation?

The debates were an inspiring show of youth advocacy and showcased an upcoming generation of critical thinkers committed to shaping a more just and equitable world, with powerful statements such as:

“Monetary compensation alone will never be enough to create sustainable long-term wealth, until the economic structures that enforce dependency exploitative lending and financial inequality are dismantled and reformed to ensure true economic sovereignty from former colonies. True justice is not found in payouts, but in systemic change that removes these exploitative economic structures,”

Julianne Solomon, St. Joseph’s Convent,Trinidad and Tobago.

“By cancelling Haiti’s foreign debt, we would not only free the country from the shackles of oppression but also acknowledge the historical injustices that have perpetuated poverty and inequality giving Haiti the chance to break free from the cycle of poverty and to forge a new path built on dignity, self-determination and economic sovereignty,” Davion Bradford, Clarendon College, Jamaica.

Solomon and Bradford are the two finalists in the International Reparation Debate Competition representing the St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; and Clarendon College, Jamaica respectively.

Today, April 25, these finalists will go head-to-head for the championship title and grand prizes valued at US$5,000 in a finale that promises to be as electric as it is historic, the organisers promise.

They said this final marks a major milestone in engaging youth in deeper education and advocacy for reparations and justice, and are inviting the public to join online or in person at 10:00 a.m Jamaica time (11:00 a.m East Caribbean Time) to witness the crowning of the first International Reparation Debate Champion, and the continued rise of young voices leading the calls for justice.

The event will also be streamed live on UWITV (https://uwitv.global), the Centre for Reparation Research YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW_UJ6Pzt3hyvf7u1HRTAaw/streams) , and on Instagram live via @repaircampaign (http://instagram.com/repaircampaign/).