We are actively pursuing slavery reparations from England. The CARICOM Reparations Commission recently visited England [1] with the ultimate aim of convincing them to pay. However, we are preparing to lose because we are unwilling to try to answer England’s likely arguments.
When adjudicating a dispute, both sides are allowed to present their best persuasive arguments. Then each side is allowed to respond to the other’s arguments before a judgement is determined. To ignore or ridicule the other side’s arguments is to plan to lose.
OUR ARGUMENT.
We presented our best arguments and reportedly paid Dr. Coleman Bazelon BD$120,000 to quantify the economic impact of slavery in Barbados (only Barbados dollars (BD$) are used in this article (US$1 = BD$2)).
Dr Bazelon quantified up to $4 Trillion in reparations, but his report remains protected from public scrutiny. Therefore, any errors in the report will likely be exposed during the adjudication process – which will certainly reduce the report’s credibility.
ENGLAND’S LIKELY ARGUMENT.
Their likely argument based on recent comments from politicians in England, may be based on our late notice. During our Independence negotiations with the Colonial Office in 1966, we (Barbados) did not claim reparations on behalf of our enslaved fore-parents and England did not claim compensation for the island and its natural resources and infrastructure. Further, it seemed that nuclear armed England agreed to defend Barbados militarily. It appeared that we negotiated a contract agreed by both sides.
Now almost 60 years after the ‘divorce’, where the distribution of assets, compensation payments and defense responsibilities were settled, we want England to pay present-day slavery-reparations costs of up to $4 Trillion. This opens the door for England to request similar present-day costs for the island and its natural resources and infrastructure – and the repayment of defense insurance premiums.
QUANTIFYING COMPENSATION.
Barbados’ land area is 432 sq-km. Assuming an average land-cost of $12 per sq-ft results in $55.8 Billion.
The public infrastructure (roads, water distribution and public buildings) built by 1966 is estimated at $1.8 Trillion at today’s prices.
Barbados’ 97 km long coastline has the potential for offshore islands, which may be located within our 636 sq-km Three Nautical Mile (NM) line. The offshore islands in Dubai extend approximately 5 km offshore and the land costs approximately $2,500/sq-ft [2]. Assuming: (i) a similar land cost with a 50% profit on development and (ii) development being limited to 80% of the sea bed, results in approximately $6.8 Trillion in profit.
Barbados’ Territorial Sea extends 12 NM from the coast. Assuming an average cost of $1/sq-ft of our sea-bed results in approximately $33 Billion.
Barbados’ Exclusive Economic Zone extends 200 NM from the coast. Assuming an average sea-bed cost of $0.50/sq-ft results in approximately $1 Trillion.
The Government revealed that we may have 13 billion barrels of oil and over 40 trillion cubic-feet of natural gas [2]. Assuming a 20% profit margin results in profits of approximately $1.4 Trillion.
The sum of these compensation claims is $9.4 Trillion, which does not include annual defence insurance repayment costs which are likely to be higher than the reinsurance we pay for properties. When we subtract our $4 Trillion reparation claim, we may owe England $5.4 Trillion – which we cannot afford to pay.
REDUCING COMPENSATION LIABILITIES.
It is better to know these estimates now because it gives us the option of trying to reduce our potential compensation liabilities.
Perhaps we can negotiate a profit-sharing arrangement if we ever: (i) sell or lease sea-bed areas in our Territorial Sea or Exclusive Economic Zone and/or (ii) construct off-shore islands or infrastructure beyond 30 m from the low water mark to our Three Nautical Mile line. These two items should reduce our liability costs by approximately $7.9 Trillion while not affecting our reparations claim of $4 Trillion. So, we may end up with reparations of $2.5 Trillion or approximately $9M for each Barbadian.
Another option is to use 1966 costs rather than current costs. This will reduce the amount of England’s compensation claims, but it will also reduce the reparations total. Therefore, we should only consider this if the profit-sharing negotiations fail.
STUCK ON STUPID.
There are several other compensation-reduction options we may consider, but our current method of: (i) being unwilling to consider any argument other than our own and (ii) chanting that our ancestors are demanding reparations, do not appear to be winning strategies.
If this matter is adjudicated internationally and we enter as unprepared as we currently are, then it is foreseen we will lose badly and be forced to pay an unaffordable compensation claim. We may lose our island-home simply because our radical activists looked in the river – and thought the reflecting bone looked bigger.
Grenville Phillips II is a Doctor of Engineering and Chartered Arbitrator. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com
[1] CARICOM, 13 July 2026.
[2] Driven Properties, Dubai Islands Market Update, 17 Nov 2025.
[3] Brazil Energy Insight, 15 June 2026.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.