Reparations more than money transfer, it’s repair of the broken world order—Dr Julius Garvey
Published on Antiguaobserver.com by R Robert Andre Emmanuel,
August 2, 2025
“It’s not about any money transfer; it’s a reparation … a repair of the injustice of the system that has existed for the last 500 years, at least.”
That was one of the key messages expressed by Dr Julius Garvey, son of legendary Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey, during his keynote address at Antigua and Barbuda’s 17th annual Emancipation Watch Night (EWN) Thursday night, at the Botanical Gardens.
The renowned surgeon and Pan-Africanist delivered a powerful speech to hundreds gathered to commemorate 191 years of emancipation, declaring with confidence that reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans will be achieved.
Drawing from his father’s 1937 Halifax speech, Dr Garvey emphasized the critical need for mental liberation.
“We have to emancipate our minds from mental slavery because while others may help to feed the body, not that ourselves can feed the mind,” he said, referencing the philosophy later popularized by Bob Marley.
Dr Garvey argued that true emancipation requires understanding that freedom “was not given to us” but “fought for” through continuous resistance across the Caribbean and Americas.
“We did not accept slavery peacefully. We fought when we were kidnapped in Africa and we fought on the slave ships and we fought since we came to the new world,” he noted.
The Pan-Africanist traced a direct line from historical oppression to modern challenges, describing how slavery evolved into colonialism, then into neocolonialism and globalization under “American hegemony”.
Central to Dr Garvey’s message was the critique of current international institutions, including the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization, which he described as part of a “rigged system” that perpetuates inequality.
“The whole financial system and economic system is rigged against our development,” Garvey explained. “So, we’ve gone from enslavement to colonial people. Again, to oppress people who have been globalised by the hegemonic activity of Europeans and Americans.”
He called for comprehensive reform of global governance structures, citing the ongoing crisis in Gaza as evidence of the UN’s dysfunction due to Security Council veto powers that prevent meaningful action.
Reflecting on his own educational experience in Jamaica, Garvey criticized colonial education systems that fail to teach African identity and history.
“I knew nothing about who I was as a person or in terms of my own history and traditions and culture,” he said, crediting his mother with providing crucial supplementary education about African heritage.
“Self-knowledge is the most important knowledge,” Dr Garvey asserted. “And when we have self-knowledge and self-realisation, we’ll realise that we are wonderful people who are made in the image of God.”
He explained that, unlike common misconceptions about reparations as just simple monetary payments, the global reparations movement is about systematic repair.
“Many people think it’s, ‘oh, I’m going to get my reparations and I’m going to go on spree. If you’ve got just a handful of money tomorrow, where would it end up next week? It would end up in the coffers of…all the people that own the finance system.”
Instead, he called for “a system that is equitable” and referenced the African Union’s declaration of 2025 as the year for achieving reparatory justice, with the next decade (2026-2036) designated as the decade for reparations.
Dr Garvey concluded his address with optimism about emerging global changes, noting the rise of BRICS nations and what he described as a shift toward “a multipolar world order” that could challenge Western hegemony.
“We need to find who our friends are. I think we should know who our enemies are. And we need to maximise our relationships with our friends on an international scale,” he said.
The EWN saw a number of officials in attendance including Education Minister Daryl Matthew, Tourism Minister Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez, and resident British High Commissioner John Hamilton, alongside other diplomats and community leaders.
The evening included solemn remembrance of the 1736 freedom fighters who attempted to overthrow plantation owners, with their names called in tribute, honouring their sacrifices.
Reverend Denise Smith delivered reflections on the meaning of Emancipation, while the ceremony featured libation ceremonies and cultural performances, including Rastafarian drumming and chanting.