Grenada’s National Reparations Commission (GNRC) has asked the government to start talking about making the country a republic.
Chairman of the GNRC Arley Gill said that republicanism needs to be talked about as Grenada gets ready to celebrate 50 years of independence from the UK.
Gill told people at a Reparations Forum, which was held to accept an apology from the descendants of slave and plantation owners Sir John Trevelyan and his wife Louisa Simond, that they should start talking about Grenada becoming a republic and moving away from the British monarchy as head of state.
Gill also said that Grenadians should think again about making the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is based in Trinidad, their final court of appeal.
In 2016 and 2018, referendums were held to make the CCJ Grenada’s highest court, but voters chose to keep the Privy Council, which is based in London.
Gill also asked the government to change the names of streets, buildings, and institutions that were given by the British.
Gill said, “The Grenada National Reparations Commission is still trying to get our government to change the way our country looks by naming our schools and national institutions after great Grenadians or Caribbean people who have made important contributions to our society.” “No one needs to remind us that we still say the royal Grenada Police Force and His Majesty’s Prison almost 50 years after we got our independence.”
