Prime Minister Gaston Browne has urged Caribbean leaders to continue pursuing reparatory justice, saying the region’s campaign is about securing justice rather than seeking financial assistance from former colonial powers.
Addressing the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, Browne said reparations are a matter of restitution for the lasting effects of the transatlantic slave trade and chattel slavery.
He told leaders that CARICOM’s position was based on justice and legal responsibility, stressing that the region was “not seeking handouts” but pursuing restitution for crimes against humanity.
Browne commended Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley for her leadership of CARICOM’s Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations and called on member states to maintain momentum on the issue.
He said international recognition of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as crimes against humanity had strengthened the legal and moral case for reparations. While discussions with former colonial powers should remain respectful and constructive, he insisted reparations must remain a priority for the regional bloc.
The Antigua and Barbuda leader also updated Heads of Government on discussions surrounding the communiqué for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, noting that reparations will feature in the document and that foreign ministers will continue negotiations on the issue.
Browne welcomed the CARICOM Reparations Commission’s new manifesto, describing it as an important tool for explaining the legal and ethical basis for reparations. He encouraged its widespread distribution across the region to improve public understanding of the movement.
He also reiterated support for CARICOM seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, saying it would help clarify the legal responsibility linked to slavery and reinforce that reparations are a matter of justice, not charity.
Browne ended by reaffirming Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to advancing CARICOM’s reparations agenda and supporting the implementation of the bloc’s Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: PM Browne urges CARICOM to keep reparations at top of regional agenda.
