Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has reiterated efforts for the UK to apologize for slavery in the Caribbean and other former colonies, as well as pay reparations.
Mitchell criticized Britain in an interview with the UK journal The Independent for failing to apologize for capturing and enslaving African people, saying that their unwillingness to demonstrate regret sends a “bad message.”
“If the United Kingdom wants to continue to be a country that demonstrates that it upholds the values of justice, fairness, democracy, [and] equal treatment of human beings,” Mitchell added.
Despite repeated requests by prior colonial prime ministers, neither King Charles, the British Monarch, nor Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, have provided apologies or vows to pay reparations.
Sunak stated that “trying to unpick our history is not the right way forward,” whereas King Charles recently expressed his “sorrow” and growing “understanding” of slavery.
“Reluctance or refusal to do so sends the opposite message,” Mitchell explained to the British newspaper. “In Grenada, as a former British colony, we recognize the legacy issues that we’re dealing with, and I honestly believe it’s the decent thing to do,” Mitchell told the UK daily.
He feels that improving relations with Britain is vital, but that people from former colonies must be treated as equals by the country that colonized them.
Earlier this year, British Foreign Office minister David Rutley told Labour MP Clive Lewis, who has family ties to Grenada, that “we acknowledge the role of British authorities in enabling the slave trade for many years before being the first global force to drive the end of the slave trade in the British empire.”
But, as the Grenadian leader put it, “that’s almost like seeing someone who’s committed murder being applauded for having committed murder.”
“That, to my mind, is nonsensical and, in reality, an attempt to whitewash your own conscience.” It was wrong, you should admit it was wrong, promise never to support something like that again, and then help the victims of the descendants who have to live with this,” Mitchell added.
Mitchell’s renewed appeal for the UK to pay reparations and apologize to former colonies comes as a number of Caribbean nations, including former British colonies, declare their intention to abolish the monarchy and become republics.
Mitchell said he hoped Grenada would take that step, which would necessitate a vote, but that it was not a priority and that he did not want the issue to be used as a “political football.”
“I need to ensure that we get enough buy-in from all sectors of society to say ‘this is what we want,’ and that the average Grenadian understands the benefits of transitioning to a republican type of government, rather than just the political class,” he said.
