Slavery was abolished in Jamaica in 1834, since then our nation has struggled with poverty despite the indomitable spirit of our people. This is due largely to forces from within even though our small nation is vulnerable to outside forces as all small dependent nation are.
Jamaica is blessed with almost ideal conditions for Agriculture .
The Natural beauty of Jamaica makes our Island a magnet for visitors who cannot wait to soak up the warmth of the Jamaican sun, relax in the warm caribbean waters and enjoy our great food and music.
Additionally our people are known for their warmth and kindness particularly to visitors to our shores.
No one knows exactly how many African people died on the journey from the west coast of Africa, through the middle passage to the western world.
Some estimates vary from a few millions to 100,000,000 people.
No one knows exactly how many died as a result of maltreatment by slavers.
What we do know is that slavery was horrible , onerous and a blythe on all humanity.
Africans are not the only people to have been enslaved throughout history . Africans may have been the latest people to be subjected to the degrading, indignity of slavery.
Today there are mounting demands by many in the Caricom community as well as in Jamaica for those Britain to pay reparations to the region for slavery.
Committees have been set up within Caricom and indeed in Jamaica to press for reparations.
It’s incredibly difficult to argue with the legitimacy of those claims.
After Slavery some plantation owners were actually compensated for the loss of their human property. Despite this the conversation surrounding the need for Britain to pay reparations to the Islands of the west Indies have not gained any traction.
The fact is that the Caribbean has no means of enforcing it’s demands for those reparations. So the effort amounts to precious little more than spitting in the sky.
We all know what happens when we do that..
Recent comments by British Prime Minister David Cameron who offered to assist Jamaica in building a new prison to the tune of (£25m)twenty five million pounds, did not inspire confidence.
Neither was the Jamaican Prime Minister able to move the ball during Cameron’s visit to the Island this week.
The purpose of the prison according to David Cameron is to end the standoff between Jamaica and Britain on the subject of the transfer of Jamaican prisoners back to Jamaica.
The British prime Minister said it is “absolutely right” that foreign criminals were properly punished but not at the expense of the “hard-working British taxpayer”.
It’s not as if the arguments for reparations are not justified and indeed legitimate, however in light of existing conditions the pragmatic thing to do is make the point and move on.
Failing which we run the risk of creating an entire generation of Jamaicans who will spend their lives thinking that somehow they will someday be enriched by reparations paid out to them by Britain for hundreds of years of slavery.
Legitimate though the demands are , we can do exponentially more harm by dwelling on this than if we make our point and move on .
The first order of business is that England cannot afford it.
Secondly we have no means of enforcing our demands, so they will not consider it.
One person discussing the issue refers to waiting for reparations as “fool’s gold”.
I agree with that assessment it is a distraction which allows local and regional politicians to divert attention from their acts of corruption , tardiness and incompetence.
The British Prime Minister said the reason they are willing to help build the prison is to eliminate cost of housing Jamaican criminals at British taxpayers expense.
That policy decision is diametrically opposed to reparations.
Not only are they unwilling to pay reparations they are unwilling to house criminals who commit crimes in their country. They are quite prepared to dump Jamaican nationals living in England back on the Island.
In light of those realities it is in Jamaica’s best interest and indeed the wider Caribbean to ensure that those elected to lead do not continue to steal and waste scarce public resources.
The committees set up to examine this distraction would be better used toward ensuring that Politicians cannot continue to steal tens of millions of dollars while political operatives within the criminal justice system systematically distort the process until they are eventually set free on the rare occasion one is prosecuted.
The last thing Jamaica needs is another get rich quick diversion to enslave the minds of young people. Too many are already trapped in the mental prison of Lottery scams, Robbery and murder as a way of life.