Repair Campaign spearheads European visit to talk reparations; Beckles clears air, independent effort
Thursday, July 3rd, 2025
The Jamaican Government says it intends to petition King Charles III, in his current position as the island’s head of state, to refer questions to the UK Privy Council demanding answers as the country steps up its first for reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Culture Minister Olivia Grange, who made the disclosure, insists that Jamaica is taking its demand for reparations from the UK for the enslavement of the country’s African ancestors.
In this next phase, Grange explained that the petition requests King Charles to seek the advice of the Privy Council on three questions:
(a) Whether the forced transport of African people from their homelands to Jamaica and their subsequent enslavement in Jamaica until 1833 were lawful because such unauthorised removal and subsequent enslavement was contrary to the fundamental principles of the common law, and because any local legislation that purported to authorise their subjection to slavery was void as repugnant to fundamental principles of English law;
(b) In any event, whether the forced transport and subsequent enslavement of people of African descent up until 1838 constituted ‘crimes against humanity’ under international law, for which the UK bears responsibility; and
(c) In light of the said actions/ illegalities, whether the UK is under an obligation to provide a remedy to the Jamaican people for the unlawful transport and subsequent enslavement of African people in Jamaica under British rule up until 1838 and for the continuing consequences of the same.
Legal approach being taken
Making her contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 24, Minister Grange highlighted, “this is a legal approach which does not in any way conflict with the political approach as posited through negotiation”.
“This legal approach, however, reminds us of a similar approach taken by two formerly enslaved West Africans: the famous Olaudah Equiano, who freed himself by buying his freedom and journeyed to England,” she added.
Equiano became a part of the abolitionist group called Sons of Africa, which presented a case before the courts there in 1777 under Lord Mansfield and won a declaration that slavery was unlawful in England and by extension in her colonies. The other West African was Lourenzo Mendonza, who journeyed to the Vatican and presented a similar case before the Pope in 1684 and secured the declaration that slavery was unlawful.
Jamaica intends to apply this approach by placing these three questions before the Privy Council in accordance with Section 4 of the Judicial Committee Act of 1833, which gives the monarch discretionary powers to place before the Privy Council for advice any matter of reparations.
Watching petition closely
The minister advised Parliament that the government plans to follow closely the submission of its petition, as it must be done before Jamaica transitions to a republic.
Grange reminded the legislature that last year at the Emancipation Jubilee at Seville in St. Ann, she received on behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica apologies principally in video format from families whose ancestors were enslavers here in Jamaica (the Renton family, Gladstone family and the Malcolm family).
In the case of the Malcolms, two sisters journeyed to Jamaica from New Zealand, where they currently reside, to proffer their apologies in person. Additionally, with the permission of the then Anglican bishop of Jamaica, we played a recording of an apology from the Church of England proffered by then Archbishop of Canterbury Reverend Justin Welby.
Finally, there was a recorded apology from The Guardian newspaper, whose founder owned enslaved Africans on the Success plantation in Hanover. Minister Grange emphasised that The Guardian has been very active in carrying out work in the reparations fight in the communities in the vicinity of that plantation.
The media entity has also offered its services to Jamaica as lobbyists for reparatory justice activities in the United Kingdom. She advised that the matter is now with Attorney-General Derrick McKoy for filing on behalf of the people of Jamaica, recognising the work done in the reparations struggle by Clarendon Central MP Mike Henry and noted attorney Frank Phipps.
Minister Grange also commended the legal committee of the National Council on Reparations, led by noted attorney and pan-Africanist Bert Samuels, Laleta Davis-Mattis, and a team of British lawyers.
