Ralph Gonsalves has returned to St. Vincent and the Grenadines following a two-week international trip that spanned from June 12 to June 25, including official engagements in Barbados, the United Kingdom, and Ghana. In a recent broadcast, Gonsalves provided a detailed report on his overseas work, prioritizing the global advancement of the reparations movement, exploring climate finance opportunities, and urging immediate regional solidarity for earthquake-stricken Venezuela.
A primary objective of Gonsalves’ overseas tour was advancing the movement for reparatory justice addressing native genocide and the enslavement of African bodies. Acting as a senior advisor and elder to the global non-governmental organization known as the Repair Campaign, Gonsalves initiated his trip by attending a CARICOM Prime Ministerial Subcommittee meeting in Barbados on June 12.
In the United Kingdom, Gonsalves held extensive discussions regarding reparations, Caribbean affairs, and the UK’s historical role with several notable figures, including British Member of Parliament Lord Marvin Lee and Professor Kingsley Abbott of the University of London. Following a working dinner in London involving British politicians, NGO organizers, and members of the Caribbean and African diaspora, an agreement was reached to formally establish a UK-based alliance for reparations.
Gonsalves’ tour concluded in West Africa, where he attended a three-day conference in Ghana titled “Reparations: Next Steps,” hosted by President John Mahama. The conference, which followed a recent United Nations resolution recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as among the gravest crimes against humanity, resulted in the creation of three advisory bodies to handle the global, legal, and economic aspects of reparatory justice. The CARICOM 10-point plan for reparations was specifically elaborated upon in the conference’s official outcome document.
During his broadcast, Gonsalves firmly rejected the notion that slavery is solely a distant issue of the past, emphasizing instead that reparations are necessary to address the “contemporary legacies of underdevelopment” caused by European crimes against humanity.
He clarified that the movement is not seeking one-off monetary handouts for individuals, but rather an intergenerational, 50-year sustainable development effort addressing health, education, infrastructure, and debt cancellation. Furthermore, Gonsalves stressed the need for national and global political unity on the issue, urging that domestic political differences such as those he has with local reparations committee chair Jomo Thomas must not obstruct the broader quest for justice. He also called for greater financial resourcing for both national and CARICOM reparations commissions.
While in the UK, Gonsalves also prioritized national economic interests. He met with two potential investors to discuss opportunities in tourism and tourism services. Additionally, he held consultations with an expert from an Ireland-based international private finance institution regarding climate finance. Gonsalves noted that these discussions on climate finance align closely with the Bridgetown 3.0 initiative led by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, highlighting it as a vital area for Caribbean unity and regional economic strategy.
Shifting to regional crises, Gonsalves expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela following two recent, devastating earthquakes. Noting that thousands of homes have been destroyed and initial death tolls of 164 are expected to rise into the thousands, Gonsalves characterized the event as one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory.
He strongly urged CARICOM and the broader international community, including nations in North and Latin America, to mobilize medical assistance, packaged food, makeshift accommodations, and search-and-rescue teams. Reminding the public of Venezuela’s steadfast historical support for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Gonsalves declared that the local government must respond with “concrete terms” of assistance rather than just words.