This week the Jamaican governments national commission on reparations will approve and submit a petition to the British government for the sum of £7.6 billion pounds as reparations for the European country’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. This is a pivotal point in race relations and will send seismic shockwaves across the globe. The question is on what moral basis or point of law will the British government seek to reject this petition ? How will: Spain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands and of course America, who were all co-conspirators in the slave trade and may also in turn be petitioned by their own former colonies, respond to this? We can expect to see the government sympathise, argue vehemently and flatly refuse to take responsibility for their part in the abduction, trafficking and wholesale exploitation of some 20 million Africans. Members of the public may very well oppose the idea of the taxes they pay being used as compensation for the billions of pounds in revenue that came into the country from this evil trade. We can only hope that instead of continuing to hide what has become “Britain’s dirty little secret”, they own up and take full responsibility for the greed of Monarchs, ministers & parliamentarians who’s offices they sit in stewardship of. In any event history will record that a black government has respectfully petitioned its former colonial master to account for and pay reparations for what is undeniable a crime against humanity.
A Black Perspective 