Caribbean leaders have united in support of Jamaica’s historic decision to submit a formal petition to King Charles III, seeking a landmark legal ruling from the Privy Council on slavery and Britain’s obligation to pay reparations. Announced by Jamaica’s Prime Minister and current CARICOM Chair, Dr. Andrew Holness, at the 49th Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Montego Bay, this petition aims to clarify whether the Atlantic enslavement of Africans was lawful under common law, if local laws supporting slavery were invalid, and crucially, whether slavery as practiced in Jamaica until 1838 constituted a crime against humanity under international law.
If these points are upheld, Jamaica argues that the United Kingdom has a legal obligation to compensate Jamaica and its people for the lasting harm caused by slavery. Prime Minister Holness described this action as a “bold step towards justice” and a significant milestone for the Caribbean’s broader reparations movement.
The move is part of long-running efforts by Jamaica’s National Council on Reparations, which, alongside the CARICOM Reparations Commission (established in 2013), continues to seek justice and reparations from former colonial powers. The petition reflects Jamaica’s commitment, shared across the region, to pursuing reparations as both a moral and legal imperative, using international legal avenues to hold Britain accountable for the enduring legacy of slavery.
Caribbean leaders back Jamaica petition to King Charles for slavery reparations
Caricom summit gives ‘broad support’ for request to Charles as region steps up campaign for justice.
Caribbean leaders are backing Jamaica’s petition to King Charles on reparations as the region prepares to step up its pursuit of reparative justice for slavery, the prime minister, Andrew Holness, has said.
Speaking at this week’s leaders summit for the Caribbean Community (Caricom), a bloc of 20 member and associate member states, Holness said Jamaica had secured “broad support” from the region for its petition to the king, the island’s head of state.
The petition asks Charles to use his authority to request legal advice from the judicial committee of the London-based privy council, the final court of appeal for UK overseas territories and some Commonwealth countries, on whether the forced transport of Africans to Jamaica was lawful, if it constituted a crime against humanity, and whether Britain was under obligation to provide a remedy to Jamaica for slavery and its enduring consequences.
During the centuries-long transatlantic slave trade more than 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped and forcibly transported to the Americas, including Jamaica, where they were sold into slavery. Full Story