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Mia Mottley Richard Drax

Drax Hall: Political Cowardice and the ‘rule of law’

By Tee White In late April, news broke in Barbados that the Barbados Labour Party government, led by Prime Minster Mia Mottley, was planning to make a payment of some BD$ 8 million (US$ 4 million, GBP 3.2 million) to Richard Drax, the current owner of Drax Hall plantation, as part of the compulsory purchase…

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By Tee White

In late April, news broke in Barbados that the Barbados Labour Party government, led by Prime Minster Mia Mottley, was planning to make a payment of some BD$ 8 million (US$ 4 million, GBP 3.2 million) to Richard Drax, the current owner of Drax Hall plantation, as part of the compulsory purchase of 50 acres of that property. The government claimed that its intention in acquiring the land is to build 10,000 houses for low-income families.

When the announcement of the sale was publicised, the outrage among the people of Barbados was instant. Trevor Prescod, MP for St Michael East and Special Envoy to the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for reparations and economic enfranchisement summed up the country’s feelings when he declared that Drax must not receive a single cent from the people of Barbados.

Faced with a wall of anger in Barbados, across the Caribbean and globally, Prime Minister Mottley addressed the country on 24 April.  In her address, she announced that the government would pause the compulsory purchase of the land from Richard Drax and consult with the people of Barbados on how to proceed.

Drax Hall [Photo Credit: https://barbados.org/drax.htm]

An important question that this issue has raised is that of the rule of law. David Commissiong, Barbados’ ambassador to CARICOM, writing in his capacity as a private citizen, published a commentary in which he outlined the criminal involvement of the Drax family in the holocaust against enslaved Africans in Barbados and the enormous wealth they derived from their criminal activity. Nevertheless, he argued that “the Law of Barbados stipulates that whenever Government compulsorily acquires property it is under a duty to compensate the landowner by paying him the fair market value of the land that is being appropriated”. Therefore, he argued, the government’s hands are tied. He described the prospect of the payout to the Drax family as a “fundamental injustice”.

Read full article – https://caribbeanempowerment.wordpress.com/2024/04/27/barbados-drax-hall-political-cowardice-and-the-rule-of-law/

143 responses to “Drax Hall: Political Cowardice and the ‘rule of law’”

  1. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    “There has to be something missing from the debate.”

    Dear David,
    Say it
    I know you want to say it
    I will say it with you
    Or continue to tread carefully. You are nearing the border of con/scam/flimflam/3 card Monte country.

  2. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    @WS
    AG was brilliant last Sunday. This week he had a brilliant start.

    He was out of the blocks like a sprinter, but settled to a 800m pace after the first few yards. The finish was less than expected.
    The final grade
    Idea:A+
    Execution:B-
    Very good. Some more work will improve the essay.
    —
    WS comment: B- (final grade)😄

  3. Caribbean music and dance Avatar
    Caribbean music and dance

    Caribbean music and dance expressionism is Pan-Africanism

  4. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    Seriously, it is difficult to understand this Drax Hall debacle. This is what is called an ‘unforced error’ in tennis and a ‘self inflicted wound’ elsewhere.

    Mia need to change up those who are close to her and employ a couple of ‘no men’.

    ‘Yes men’ are useless and is where ‘no heads are better than some or one’. She must now ignore and forget the PR and puff pieces and lead sensibly.

    The cybercrime bill and the bill for cricket are utter nonsense and seem to infringe and restricts the rights of the average Barbadian.

    It would appear that instead of 30-0 giving her a relatively freehand to make positive public policy, it has her administration in knots. Instead of 30-0 liberating her, it is binding to the people.

    Come on Mia! Believe it or not, I want to see you do well (because Barbados would benefit)

  5. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Wish she would stop attempting to infiltrate our ancestral space, she is NOT allowed in for any reason…she needs to STOP, rethink/reassess….MOVE ON and do her JOB as a public servant….

    ….she does NOT want to tangle with certain bloodlines, NOT IN THESE TIMES ..we dont do political pimp and yardfowl…so stay out of our way…we are not ya typical bajan enmored by corruption/corrupt politicians, and will go ALL OUT to DEFEND our realm……aha-tu…

  6. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Information circulating via audio gives us the level and SIZE OF THE SCAM the people in Barbados and the Caribbean have no clue is being built around them by these IMPOSTORS….

    headsup….watch ya backs……find the details of this wicked sham…..so you can throw up defenses…

  7. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    Our people use to have so much knowledge.

    The white man is still profiteering from our land and domestic Bajans.

    https://bahamianology.com/entire-island-of-mayaguana-sold-1891/

  8. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Correction:

    we are not ya typical bajan ENARMORED or impressed by or with corruption/corrupt politicians, and will go ALL OUT to DEFEND our realm……aha-tu…

    TLSN…..wicked politicians never wanted the people to have knowledge especially about their history….not one of them, from Barrow and every colonial tool on black legs in between…

    ….wuh iffen yuh got too much knowledge dem cahn rob you and 2 or 3 of your generations…for 50-75 years because ya believe all the politician’s DAILY LIES…..ya will see them coming and do something about their criminal deceit once and for all…just like their fraud is now laid bare for the world to see and dissect…

    .the question is……will the people do something or sit and complain and when someone tries to upend these liars and thieves….criticize the effort..

  9. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    If they want to do NOTHING to change their circumstances outside of showing how many pretty words they can post…that’s ON THEM…

    Once the staged is reached where impostors are warned to stay away from the Divine’s Chosen and what we are doing, that should tell them something…

    This is the beginning of the end.

  10. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Many are only now hearing about the existence of certain bloodlines, but vile politicians have known all along since they navigate corporate environs and the vatican world as employees, they know, so what did these beasts do, target us specifically for suppression, violence, terror and trauma….

    Then got the goddamn nerve to believe they can insert their judas selves into our world and take over based entirely on envious hate……..and have no power source backing….as interlopers.

    …all weee can say is bring it on..

  11. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Anyone can do ANYTHING to YOU when you DON’T know WHO you are…this time those of us who are thus connected got lucky due to certain circumstances…

    Those who still don’t know who they are, you better find out soon, because the wicked politicians ALREADY KNOW…..and int about to tell you, they will work to weaponize and monetize that knowledge….so sit and allow it to happen…like good Slaves.

    I can’t believe in this day and age 530 years post chattel slavery and we are saying most of those kidnapped from the continent STILL DON’T KNOW WHO THEY ARE…while politicians have the information.

  12. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    @Tennyson Joseph “Where are the strident pro-reparations cabinet members?”

    None.

  13. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Cuddear…that too, reparations, is a trojan horse for other evil intent, it was handled very badly from the start as I kept saying, and BLEW UP on all a dem..because they are the WRONG PEOPLE to go anywhere near it……….useless breathers all, public nuisances, i have no use for even one of them…

    It is too intricate and personal a process to have brigades of the corrupt in parliaments anywhere near it….

  14. Cuhdear Bajan Avatar
    Cuhdear Bajan

    So who are the right people to handle reparations?

  15. African Warriors Avatar
    African Warriors

    Reparations could be handled by the African Warriors tribes like The Zulu, The Mau Mau, The Dahomey Amazons who’s leaders put up resistance to French, British etc

  16. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    “So who are the right people to handle reparations?”

    The ascendants of the ENSLAVED themselves, not the politicians who EXPLOIT, OPPRESS, terrorize, ROB and keep their IDENTITIES and history hidden from these same ascendants..

    ..what the hell do i need crooked politicians to claim reparations on my behalf for …TO TIEF IT…i can make a claim myself if needed…i know who to reach out to….if i need to….everyone should know by doing your research.

    …why the hell do i need crooks to make any claims, people claim they are educated, literate and intelligent…i dont need politicians using the situation to SET UP MORE SCAMS AND CRIMES against me and mine….people need to stop pretending that’s not the reality..

    It turns out they DO NOT HAVE A COURT TO PROCESS reparations ANYWAY…they did not do their due diligence as ususl…massa would have to build them one and show them how to operate within it, another 50 year project costing billions…so it’s all moot anyway…most of us wont even be here in half century if massa got billions to throw away on ignorant politicians…..because they wont hear they are the WRONG PEOPLE to apply…a conflict..

  17. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Besides, i dont want any public servant politicians getting involved in anything to do with myself and extended European family. They need to take their place as employees, that’s who they are, although they pretend otherwise.

    i would not allow my employee to get involved in such sensitive matters so why would i want A PUBLIC SERVANT inserting themselves knowing their history and track records…. it’s very disrespectful, regardless the circumstances, it’s a real thing….and I DEMAND they stay in their lanes, out of my business…i can SPEAK FOR MYSELF…

  18. Katt Williams Avatar
    Katt Williams

    Katt Williams on why white people should support reparations for African Americans

  19. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    The Drax estate is a good example….Mr. Drax is a British MP but also a public servant who knows his family history better than most, given historical circumstances, he knows he has people on the island he can call extended Afrikan family.

    If they knew who they were, it’s just a matter of reaching out, write a letter of introduction, i dont see him being so beastly that he wont address it…

    Similarly, those who know their ancestors worked on that plantation could also engage with him to reach an equitable settlement….NO GREEDY ISLAND POLITICIANS NEEDED….address him DIRECTLY…

    Had i found a Drax in my bloodline or had my family been ensconced/enslaved on these local plantations that is what i would do…then ya wont have Judas allegedly running scam on Drax or the people in the island..

    The people need to TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR REPARATIONS BUSINESS……no public servant/employee of the same establishment still taking orders from their superiors…. should be representing descendants of the enslaved…a conflict…

  20. Colonial Aftershocks Avatar
    Colonial Aftershocks

    In the 19th Century, slavery and power were fiercely contested in the United States and the British Empire. But even as slavery was abolished in some states and colonies, it became more deeply embedded in others. In defending the peculiar institution, slavery’s proponents often relied on centuries old arguments and strategies, first used to justify and then expand slavery.

    https://slaverylawpower.org/

  21. John Avatar
    John

    Colin Hudson leading the Stop and Stare in a remote area once stumbled on a Ms. Drax, an elderly lady taking a bath in the raw in her back yard.

    He profusely apologised and beat a hasty retreat.

    How many Drax’s would you guess are in Barbados?

    May be blood relatives or they had a high regard for the family that had fed, clothed, housed and tended to their medical and religious needs.

  22. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    Questions must be asked:
    Does this government sees itself as a servant of the people?

    Given it high handed approach to developing bills does this government sees itself as masters of the people?

    Where does this government place the best interest of the people? Is construction of hotels always in the best interest of the people?

    What is the next step in development of the constitution?

    Given the bungles, mistakes and missteps, after the road trips and discussion should the people get a look at the final document before further progress? Can this government get anything right in the first try?

    We fear the cybercrime bill. We see the deployment of foreign troops in Barbados during this period of discussion. Is this intimidation, threatening, making folks fearful, silencing people voices?

    Does this deployment causes the same emotions as those outlined in the cybercrime bill? Who can we sue?

    The OG has contacted his lawyer as it is the OG’s intention to fight legal/illegal rendition, kidnapping or extradition. I am no Mr Thomas

  23. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    “Questions must be asked:
    Does this government sees itself as a servant of the people?”

    Short snswer: No, it don’t.

    “Given it high handed approach to developing bills does this government sees itself as masters of the people?”

    Short answer: Yes it does, they carry the mentalities of overseers, policing the people, and not SERVANTS, who only years before were running all over the place VOTE BEGGING and harassing the same people to elect them…

    ….once they get those useless colonial titles, all reason and commonsense jumps out the nearest exit, and they officially become an EXTENSION OF SLAVEMASTERS….and the corruption goes into OVERDRIVE……the transformation is IMMEDIATE and ugly hence they are all such FAILURES..

    The narcissitic use titles as a prop to project superiority over the people who vote for them and pay their salaries. I am adamant those titles must go..

  24. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    “How many Drax’s would you guess are in Barbados?”

    If i had to guess…just as many as there would be other familial connections to 500-600 plantations still remaining on the island, with local proxy owners fronting for the real owners who live in other jurisdictions per the list available…..personally, i would find out who all the REAL owners are…

    The people need to do all the necessary research to find out their connections to these plantations…then ACT on it….before the flimflam politicians work their magical scams and sell it ALL…while everyone is believing their lying crap about 4.9 trillion in reparations…the trojan horse used to sell out everything while everyone is distracted by LIES..

  25. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    The local political Flimflam Queen has self promoted as a clear and present danger to Afrikans people EVERYWHERE….am sure another useless award will soon be presented…good job Judas.

  26. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    King David PROPHESIED these Judases 1200-1300 YEARS ago…..they were SEEN by our ancestors, their traitor actions known..and labeled “Son/daughters of Perdition”….

    Warnings were left about them…..Kofi Annan warned also…

  27. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Correction:
    The Kushite Solomonic Kingdoms would have been around the 1200-1300s so that is about 700 years ago our ancestors peered into our future and SAW the local Judases, and KNEW they would betray…that is a short time in our realm..

    The reason they now wear the unenviable label of Sons/daughters of Perdition…they are KNOWN..

  28. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    Just spoke to a Kenyan….they told me straight up.they can see RIGHT THROUGH the bajan fake pan afrikans …and said it with a big steupppss…..

    ….i had to say, all that wasted effort….real Pan Afrikans got a certain look…and dem int got dah, dem dint even know bout it.

    Then they broached the Ghana burying soil or whatever they put down….it never entered my mind that would anger Afrikan people or the story spread so widely, but that was the second person told me about the simmy dimmy performance ritual to get permanent global power.

    …well, before they got out of Ghana, whatever they did followed them back to the Caribbean and t’s been cockup SQUARED ever since…dah dint work neder…

    Our ancient King did curse Judas and everyone of his, her, their evil traitor bloodlines. .

  29. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    On a lighter note the Barbados parliament might have to legislate cybercrime laws for the Afrikans who now believe they are full SHIT and are an embarrassment.

    ….how could they DARE go on our continent believing they could FOOL the dominion that CREATED PAN AFRIKANISM…and believe Afrikans wont notice….the audacity.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    Be careful how yuh digging, Cassi

    Jesus asked His followers to pray that others would choose to spread His message of love, forgiveness and reconciliation.

    – Grenville Phillips

    Letter-writer Cassi Griffith tells us “Drax should be the first step in a long journey” apparently to dig up others whose ancestors were also slave owners and make them pay.

    First off, Richard Drax has never been knighted in England.

    Unless our present Government has bestowed such an honour on him, he is not “Sir Richard Drax”.

    I can’t believe David Comissiong, Poet Laureate Esther Phillips, the Nation Newspaper and others would make such a mistake. But then again “Sir” Richard sounds more like a big-up you should go after.

    Okay, let me confess I am no big Christian, going to church on Sunday and all the rest. But so many things can go wrong in a dairy operation, I find myself over and over saying, “Thank you, Lord!” when they go right. Like, for instance, if I get my hay baled and under cover before the rain comes down. If things go really well, I say: “Yuh showing off, Lord!”

    Now there’s a particular part of the Lord’s Prayer which keeps me under heavy manners. It says: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. I see that “as” as a condition: we can be forgiven our sins but only if we in turn forgive those who have sinned against us.

    And the Good Lord knows I have sinned. Not long ago a fellow came to buy milk. Brought along his family. I was milking; my daughter was dealing with him. He walked up to the parlour and greeted me, “Hello, Mr Hoad”, whereupon a new milker pulled her head out of the stand and turned around. First time it’s happened. So, seven goats milking, one turned around.

    What to do?

    Shouting for my daughter; she’s gone off somewhere. If it jumps, it could foul up the milking equipment. And in a moment of madness, I shouted at the guy: “Man, yuh frighten muh goat!”

    I wanted to apologise but he drove off before I could. He’s never come back. You don’t know how that weighs on my mind and I would like to tell him he can get a free bottle of milk whenever.

    A bigger sin: I had a girlfriend and we were on course to marry. Another girl came to work at the ministry as my assistant and, like many foolish men, I “went looking around for what I’d already found” as the calypso put it. I didn’t get her but broke up with the girl who had done me no wrong. My only consolation is that she married a much better husband than I could ever be.

    Not a day passes that I don’t curse myself for hurting her. And I still treasure the Bible she gave me “with love”.

    Maybe Cassi has no sins so doesn’t need to forgive anybody.

    But the trouble with digging up descendants of slave-owners of 300 years ago is that colour won’t work. My father had a daughter from a Black woman. She came to live with us as a sister. She married a guy from Denmark and their children are white as the driven snow. On the other hand, my four grandchildren have Black fathers and are darker than David Comissiong.

    Henry Peter Simmons left Vaucluse to his two sons from a slave woman. Did they in turn get rich from their slave-run plantation? Could they have rich Black descendants alive today who should be paying reparations? How many others?

    Be careful how you’re digging, Cassi. Richard Drax has kept faith with Barbados when other English owners got rich and pulled out. Anyone who thinks that someone who has money today inherited it from a rich ancestor 300 years ago doesn’t have a clue about money.

    Richard Hoad is a farmer and social commentator. Email porkhoad@gmail.com.

    Source: Nation

  31. David Avatar
    David

    Drax: Reparations or retribution?

    The following article was written and submitted by Peter Laurie, a former head of the Barbados Foreign Service and author of several books.

    The goal of reparations is to repair a harm inflicted.

    The conventional view of reparations is when the perpetrators of a harm directly compensate the victims financially, as in the payment by the West German government of over $80 billion to Holocaust survivors and their heirs.

    Reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade and colonial enslavement of our African ancestors in the Caribbean, however, differ from the Holocaust case in two important respects.

    First, colonial enslavement in the Caribbean was not only a massive enterprise (some 12.5 million forcibly transported) that involved the dehumanising and brutal treatment of the enslaved, but also had enduring Caribbean socio-economic legacies plus global ramifications that exist to this day.

    Second, in an event that occurred in the distant past and lasted centuries, direct payment of financial reparations by descendants of perpetrators to descendants of victims is complicated. Who will pay what to whom and how?

    That’s why the CARICOM Reparatory Justice Plan has taken a structural view of reparations whose main objective is to establish a European-funded programme that would help transform existing conditions and structures rooted in genocide, enslavement, colonial exploitation, and systemic racism.

    Poor results

    In Barbados, the public furore over the Government’s plans to compulsory acquire land from Drax Hall plantation on which to build housing for the poor results from the fact that it is easy to trace the Drax ownership of that plantation, the oldest and largest in Barbados, from the 17th century to the present owner, the English Conservative MP Richard Drax, thus making possible a direct attribution of a historical wrong perpetrated.

    Admittedly, the Barbados Government showed a lapse of political judgment in deciding to compulsorily acquire some land from Drax Hall even though other plantation lands had long been compulsorily acquired for similar purposes.

    Drax himself showed a complete lack of any grasp of history, not to mention callous indifference to the suffering his ancestors had inflicted on black Barbadians. If he had a remnant of a conscience he would have seized the opportunity to donate the land required, or even Drax Hall plantation itself, to the people of Barbados.

    At the same time, we must not let the Drax Hall controversy distract us from the broader purposes of reparations. After all, hundreds of other Barbadian plantations were also implicit in this crime against humanity.

    In the broader scheme of things, reparations seek to redress the global consequences of colonial enslavement in plantation economies, such as vast and persistent structural inequalities between the global north and south today, and worldwide legacies of white supremacy and discrimination against people of colour.

    In the narrower view, it might be helpful to look at reparations in Barbados and the Caribbean from the perspective of helping to fund continued decolonisation.

    We tend to see decolonisation largely in political and constitutional terms and as a one-off process. But decolonisation is a continuous process that also has socioeconomic and cultural dimensions.

    For example, one of the enduring legacies of enslavement and colonialism is underdevelopment, harsh social and economic inequality, and poverty. Even after slavery was abolished, oppression, exploitation, and racism continued.

    Thus, one of the ways that a reparations fund might be used to overcome this colonial legacy would be to help shape a sustainable economy that promotes the common good, human dignity, and social justice and keeps inequalities in income, wealth, and power to a minimum.

    This might entail such poverty alleviation projects as:

    • A Citizens’ Wealth Fund fully owned by the public and used for the benefit of society as a whole thus sharing wealth for present and future generations;

    • A universal basic income replacing the hodgepodge of welfare programmes, both as an efficient and effective way to meet the social needs of the low-income, as well as enabling entrepreneurship;

    • A re-envisioned development bank for the poor;

    • Transforming education to ensure that every graduate of the secondary schools, not just the top 30 per cent, acquires the ‘hard’, ‘soft’ and ‘life’ skills to succeed in today’s digital knowledge economy;

    • Trade unions working with employers to devise innovative employee shareholding schemes;

    • Incentivising cooperatives, credit unions and social enterprises that use profits for community-serving goals.

    There are, of course, several other colonial socio-economic legacies that need to be redressed.

    From a cultural point of view, although we have made great strides in reappropriating our long-suppressed creolised African heritage, much still remains to be done.

    Such reparations-funded projects might include:

    • Annual scholarships for Caribbean students at European and African universities;

    • Student and teacher exchanges between universities of the English, French, Dutch, and Spanish-speaking Caribbean to promote multilingualism;

    • The establishment of a Caribbean Centre for Ethnic and Diaspora Studies as well as a Caribbean Institute of Human Rights and Democracy; and the establishment of memorials of the slave trade and slavery in the Caribbean, including a full-fledged Museum of Enslavement that would be primarily a memorial to a human tragedy of horrific proportions but also a celebration of the resistance, resilience, and creativity shown by our enslaved ancestors under the harshest of conditions – a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

    Structural matters such as cancellation of international debt, funding of infrastructure for climate change resilience and so on, would be financed from a global reparations fund.

    The Drax Hall controversy has influenced many to focus on international litigation. This, however, might be both time-consuming and fraught with difficulties of enforcement.

    One can always litigate, but, to be pragmatic, I suggest we negotiate an agreement for a reparations fund with the Europeans in a spirit of reconciliation rather than retribution.

    It’s also critical to set up safeguards to ensure that money sourced from such a fund goes primarily to help those at the bottom of our societies: the destitute, the disadvantaged, and the dispossessed.

    Source: Nation

  32. David Avatar
    David

    Deconditioning colonialism through Drax Hall

    People who design surveys know that context and the way you frame the survey questions can change the answers you receive. If you had asked Bajans, “Should Richard Drax be compensated for the compulsory acquisition of land he owns?” many would have said say, “Yes”. When some of those same people read the British newspaper headline which said, Tory MP From Slave-Owning Family Set To Gain £3M From Sale Of Former Plantation,” some of those same persons probably responded, “Hell no!” Ask those same people if they believe in reparations for slavery and colonisation?” you might get a less than enthusiastic response.

    There were people I spoke to who were outraged by the thought of Drax being paid for the land. But, at the same time, when I asked how they felt about reparations, many were unsure, ambivalent and in some cases, totally against it. In their minds the Drax Hall land acquisition issue and reparations were two separate matters. Those of us who are for Reparations clearly see the connection. But it is not so obvious to others. To assume that the outcry of Barbadians against the pay-out is a sign that Bajans have wholeheartedly embraced the reparations charge would be an error.

    Unresponsive to reason

    Reparations is a very complex and emotional issue. It pushes against colonially conditioned ideas and thought patterns which are often unresponsive to reason. The vocal opponents of reparations for years have repeated the same arguments: “Reparations is begging, none of us were alive then, Africans enslaved Africans, there is no dollar value on our suffering.” These are some of the common chants of the anti-reparations choir. They are reflex responses which have been reinforced over time with repetition.

    The deconditioning will happen over time with repeated explanations that reparations is not just about cash payments, that reparations has been paid to several groups throughout history, that the fact of Jewish involvement in the Holocaust, or Native American collaboration with settlers did not prevent those groups from gaining reparatory justice, that slave owners received reparations for the loss of their enslaved workers after emancipation, that even though none of us were alive then, some groups continue to accrue disproportionate benefit from the crime and other groups continue to be disadvantaged as a legacy of it. The visceral response of the Barbadian public to the thought of a British MP from a slave-owning family set to gain £3 million from the sale of a former plantation shows that the deconditioning is occurring. But we are not there yet.

    Walking a tight rope

    This present administration is walking a tight rope between the anti-colonial thought and rhetoric at the foundation of contemporary, Caribbean, free society and the neoliberal ideology that permeates the air globally. Neocolonial ideology advances colonial goals while pretending to be liberatory.

    Reparations is a socialist idea at time when socialism is almost a bad word. The neoliberal air which we inhale comes out of us in conditioned values, attitudes and habits. Politicians, academics, activists and anyone who is pro-reparations are faced with an internal tug of war between the logically and morally-based call for reparations and the inescapable subliminal neoliberal conditioning which we all face. The cognitive dissonance which occurred in persons who didn’t like the idea of paying out Richard Drax but are not yet in step with the Reparations movement is a moment of colonial deconditioning. These moments of tension are key steps in emancipating ourselves from mental slavery.

    Adrian Green is a communications specialist. Email adriangreen14@gmail.com.

    Source: Nation

  33. David Avatar
    David

    What both articles convey is that the issue of reparations is complex. Overtime hopefully both sides will come close because when the dust settles we have to find a way to atone for wrongs of the past if we are to reconcile irreconcilable differences in order to lift in harmony as one people.

  34. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    I have long stopped reading Richard Hoad, because though he may not be racist he identifies more with right-wing ideology and talking points and seems never to be capable of seeing the world from any other perspective. Right-wing ideology merely preserves the status quo. Preserving the status quo benefits one set of people only.

    Only a fool would suggest digging up white descendants of individual slave owners to make payments to individual descendants of slaves. That would be one convoluted mess. Obviously, the Laurie approach is the only one that could ever work.

    Drax was singled out for many reasons, one being that he is a British MP. I don’t know why Richard Hoad should describe his retention of the plantation as “keeping faith with Barbados” but having the mindset of a John Knox would have much to do with it, I would suggest.

    That he would dare quote from the Bible to shame us into forgiveness is despicable, and very much in keeping with its historical use by the massa. He is not so ignorant that he is unaware of that. What he “forgot” to mention is that the wrongdoer must seek forgiveness and attempt to make restitution.

    Next came the denial of the generational wealth and the attempt to belittle us and our understanding of “how money works”.

    This tainted offering by Richard Hoad only cements my opinion of him. It was disingenous, despicable and insulting to black intelligence.

  35. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    I suggest Peter Laurie keep his mouth out of this….it has NOTHING to do with him…

    This will be handled according to the Laws of Ma’at which VERY FEW know anything about.

  36. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    A more practical view from Adrian. The challenge is that we have different perspectives based on where we come, how we are educated socialized etc; never a black or white issue and highly emotional.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    A test case to measure the complexity of the reparation debate is what occurred in the aftermath of the apartheid period in South Africa when they established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

  38. Yolande Grant Avatar
    Yolande Grant

    South Afrika still has VIRULENT and dangerous to Black Afrikan South Afrikans. …racism, apartheid and every evil in between.

    When this reparations is taken care of VERY FEW will know until TOLD…dont need any COCKUPS from damaged minds…..or saboteurs.

  39. future and present is shaped by the past Avatar
    future and present is shaped by the past

    « Reparations is just a fundamental position where the future and present is shaped by the past »

    “the music of the trash cans”
    The sound of the future, which does not lack spring(s), “coming from another planet” they proclaim, dressed in tribal masks and space suits.

  40. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    David,

    I consider this an academic discussion. Reparations will not happen in Peter Laurie’s way (although he is not the originator of the ideas) or any other way that requires the voluntary participation of Europe.

    The solution to the problems of black people worldwide can only be found in Africa. Taking back the continent and using it wisely in a sustainable manner for the benefit of Africans is the way this is going to happen. When Africa takes its place, the discussion on reparations will become unnecessary.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    @Donna

    It will be a long wait given the current state of affairs.

  42. Quid Pro Quo Avatar
    Quid Pro Quo

    “Taking back the continent and using it wisely in a sustainable manner for the benefit of Africans is the way this is going to happen. When Africa takes its place, the discussion on reparations will become unnecessary.”

    Europe and RoW still needs Africa
    => hence Quid Pro Quo Reparations are coming

  43. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    Guston Mayers : Slavery was a mere intermission
    Dr. Dan Carter: Slavery was a relocation
    Peter Laurie : Slavery was an enterprise

    This is how free education works; teaches these distinguished citizens to sanitize the worst atrocity ever inflicted on the black race by the white race.
    A political class that themselves are cashing in on the system that systematically. attempted to destroy their race; the scars that we still bear to this day and we believe the way to reclaim what is now legally and morally ours is to attach ourselves to pseudo intellectualism of the armchair variety.
    We are behaving as if we have to apologise for the horrors that were inflicted on us for over four hundred years.
    The only way to claim what is ours is to seize the damn plantation called Drax Hall.
    Any other position is pure apologetic day dreaming.

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