Gladstone descendants apologise
Aug 30, 2023
The descendants of the former British prime minister William Gladstone have apologised for their family’s past as enslavers in Guyana, and for their role in indentureship. They called on the UK to discuss reparations in the Caribbean, reports the Guardian.
Ahead of the apology, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali called on descendants of European enslavers to offer to pay reparations to right historical wrongs and for those involved in the transatlantic slave trade and African enslavement to be posthumously charged for crimes against humanity, reports the Guardian. “The descendants of John Gladstone must now also outline their plan of action in line with the Caricom … plan for reparatory justice for slavery and indentureship,” Ali said.
Charly Gladstone, one of the descendants, delivered the apology at the University of Guyana during the launch of the International Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies in collaboration with Guyana’s national reparations committee and Heirs of Slavery, a lobby group created by British families who can trace their ancestors back to the enslavement of Africans. He expressed deep shame and regret for his ancestor's involvement in slavery, acknowledging its ongoing impact. (INews Guyana, Guardian) The 21st-century Gladstones have agreed to pay reparations to fund further research into the impact of slavery, through a £100,000 grant to the MiDias, reports Loop News.
Neither Ali nor other senior government officials were in the audience of a couple hundred students, university staff members and representatives of grassroots organizations, reports the Associated Press.
Protesters dismissed the apology as “perfunctory” and called for the UK and European nations to pay reparations. The protesters held placards that read: “Your guilt is real Charlie. Move quickly to reparations now”, and “The Gladstones are murderers.” (Al Jazeera)
“Caricom nations, including Guyana, have hired a British law firm to examine their case for financial compensation from Britain and other European nations. The trade bloc has said it was advised that its case is strong and should be pursued,” reports the Guardian.
“It seems that the momentum for the global reparations movement is being led by the Caribbean and its intellectuals,” Trevelyan told The Associated Press after Gladstone’s speech. “People like us support the Caricom ... plan, and I really hope that the British government will begin negotiations with the Caribbean in the near future.”
More Reparations and Decolonisation
Judge Patrick Robinson, a leading figure at the International Court of Justice, asserts that the UK can no longer ignore the growing global demands for reparations for transatlantic slavery. Robinson believes that the international sentiment on slavery reparations is undergoing a significant shift and urges the UK to reconsider its current stance on the matter. (The Guardian)
“If the UK wants to continue being a country that demonstrates that it upholds the values of justice, fairness, democracy, [and] equal treatment of human beings, then it should be upfront in apologizing for slavery,” said Grenada's Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell in an interview with UK magazine. (Loop)
The Demerara Rebellion in 1823, led by enslaved African Jack Gladstone on one of the Gladstone family’s pñantations, marked a crucial step towards ending slavery in the British Empire, despite its brutal suppression. The rebellion's impact and subsequent revolts influenced British policy, leading to the decision for emancipation in 1833. (The Guardian)
There is a lack of progress in overcoming neo colonial practices in academic recognition, particularly in the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts according to an article written for npj Biodiversity. The authors state that while there have been strides in promoting diversity and inclusion, little has been done to address the scientific labor division that reinforces biases between researchers from the Global North and Global South.
Human Rights
Activists in Guyana have been targets of threats in recent months — women protesting extractive industries and sexual violence have been threatened with death and other forms of intimidation, reports Janine Mendes-Franco at Global Voices.
Drug Policy
The Bahamas government introduced several bills aimed at legalizing marijuana for medical and religious purposes, as well as decriminalizing the possession of small amounts. If approved, individuals caught with less than 30 grams of marijuana would face a $250 fine and no criminal record. (Loop)
Children’s Rights
Increasing heat in the Caribbean and children’s rights must be taken into account for girls uniforms in schools, argues Alicia Wallace. “We need to choose climate-appropriate fabric. We need to reduce the cost of uniforms. We need to allow children to be children, and not constrained by unnecessary articles of clothing or ruled by the misogyny or predatory behavior of adults.” (The Tribune)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines aims to support its crime reduction activities with reliable data. CariSECURE 2.0, a citizen security project, is being implemented in partnership with UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, the Ministry of National Security, and the support of USAID. (UNDP)
Climate and Environmental Justice
The Coral Cove Group is collaborating with the L’Anse aux Epines Association to create a Local Development Plan for the L’Anse aux Epines region. This plan aims to establish regulations for development, including permissible land uses and building parameters, to be legally recognized under the Physical Planning and Development Control Act.
The Latin American-Caribbean Centre (LACC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) organized a regional dialogue on the connection between climate change and mental health on August 23. This event was part of the global project "Connecting Climate Minds," which aims to address the link between climate change and mental health and create a research agenda for this emerging field. (Our Today)
The report Paying Polluters: The Catastrophic Consequences of investor-State Dispute Settlement for Climate and Environment Action and Human Rights written by the Secretary General of the United Nations is now available at the following link.
Culture
Guyanese icon Eddie Grant, a singer/songwriter known for hits like "Electric Avenue" and "Give Me Hope Joanna," is set to receive a plaque on the renowned 'Music Walk of Fame' in Camden Town, London, on September 9, 2023, reports Kaieteur News.
Opportunities
The Foundation for Development Planning, Inc. (FDPI) is inviting submissions of articles that share Caribbean perspectives on the following UN-designated international days: International Day of Charity (September 5), International Day of Democracy (September 15), International Day of Peace (September 21), World Tourism Day (September 27), International Day for Universal Access to Information (September 28). The deadline for submission is seven days before the named/chosen day and they should be sent to info@fdpi.org. For further information follow the link.
Events
June 19th to June 21st of 2024, the 54th OAS General Assembly organized by OEA will take place in Paramaribo, Suriname.
September 6th at 9 am AST, HEY Global Youth Summit: Shaping Our Future through Green Technology and Climate Action organized by the NGO The Hey Campaign will be held via Zoom. You can register at the following link.