Should UK pay reparations to Jamaica for slavery?

[El Presidente]

Are you the Lilt Man or the detective off Death in Paradise?

I'm Jack Warner's ethical advisor.

 

[GT49er]

In an open letter in the Jamaica Observer, the academic wrote: “............ You are, Sir, a prized product of this land and the bonanza benefits reaped by your family and inherited by you continue to bind us together like birds of a feather."

'Benefits........bind us together like birds of a feather' WTF? Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone else think that, for an academic, he seems to have difficulty putting together a sentence that makes any sense? Or is consumption of Red Stripe compulsory?

 

[NooBHA]

If it wasn't for the slave trade the Jamaicans may well still be in Africa . Would say they have much to be grateful for .

WOW.............................. And I thought the the view of our country had moved on in the last 400 years...........obviously not.

To be honest I really don't think that financial reparation should be made. That's only because I don't really thing that current generations should be held responsible for the ''sins of their father's''

And boy do we have a lot of sins in those years all over the world but then again so to the Dutch, The Spanish, The French, The Italians (to a lesser extent) and The Portuguese in the same period.

If the people who had endured slavery were still alive I would take a different view but i do feel a lot of shame for what went on and how the European Nations treated their colonial countries

 

[GT49er]

Couldn't imagine the world without Bob Marley.

Errrmmm......the world has been without Bob Marley for some years now...............

 

[GT49er]

WOW.............................. And I thought the the view of our country had moved on in the last 400 years...........obviously not.

It has. We've abolished slavery.

 

[symyjym]

Errrmmm......the world has been without Bob Marley for some years now...............

In reality though, you know what I mean.

 

[lawros left foot]

Why don't you put forward the idea that the Scandinavians should pay for their warring activities on our shores through the dark/middle ages? See how far you get with that one!

Anyone perpetuating the myth that we have some moral obligation to atone for our distant forefathers actions has a screw loose. As others have mentioned, places like the West Indies, India and others have actually benefitted in the long term from the British Empire should we ask these nations to now pay for the infrastructure that was built under British rule?

And the liberal hand wringers like the OP who continue spread these moral campaigns are actually making it more likely by making their drivel seem acceptable, leading to our own population becoming less affluent as they pay for these reparations. They should remember that you need to keep those around you onside, not alienated by giving their hard earned lifestyle away from under their nose.

I do like the idea that the British Empire was run for the benefit of all the people of the World, and ,we, the British, got hardly anything out of it, what so ever.
Come on, we enslaved people for over 150 years, Liverpool, Bristol and Glasgow, were all built on the massive profits of slaving, and to try to portray us as a benevolent force for good is taking things a bit far. There are numerous examples of the British Empire being a vicious, murderous, and ruthless regime, not just in the Windies, but in South Africa, India, Ireland, and near enough everywhere we ruled, and the only saving grace was the powerful in this country treated the poor very nearly as badly

 

[NooBHA]

It has. We've abolished slavery.

We did YES but when we abolished it we financially compensated the slave owners as opposed to the slaves - how self sanctimonious was that...................Anyhow, my post was actually aimed at the poster who thought that we did the slaves a favour.

 

[dennis]

I see it this way.

The people who were slaves are all dead
The people responsible for the slavery are all dead
Why should people who had nothing to do with it
Compensate people who weren't affected by it.

Make the kids aware of what happened and ensure is doesn't happen again.

Lets move on and worry about the bad things happening in the world today!

 

[Bold Seagull]

I see it this way.

The people who were slaves are all dead
The people responsible for the slavery are all dead
Why should people who had nothing to do with it
Compensate people who weren't affected by it.

Make the kids aware of what happened and ensure is doesn't happen again.

Lets move on and worry about the bad things happening in the world today!

Who was it who said it is why we still have the commonwealth games....?

We're giving them the gold back...

One medal at a time...

 

[wellquickwoody]

I do like the idea that the British Empire was run for the benefit of all the people of the World, and ,we, the British, got hardly anything out of it, what so ever.
Come on, we enslaved people for over 150 years, Liverpool, Bristol and Glasgow, were all built on the massive profits of slaving, and to try to portray us as a benevolent force for good is taking things a bit far. There are numerous examples of the British Empire being a vicious, murderous, and ruthless regime, not just in the Windies, but in South Africa, India, Ireland, and near enough everywhere we ruled, and the only saving grace was the powerful in this country treated the poor very nearly as badly

At no point have I said that the British Empire was a wholly positive body. But let us not rewrite the facts cos some people feel the need to chastise themselves for what happened hundreds of years ago.

An acquaintance of mine always supported whoever the Albion were playing, or the opponents of the Sussex cricket team, and especially any football nation that England were playing. I believe he would have supported Mars if the Earth played them at nuclear war!

Sometimes we need to support those nearest to ourselves and stop pandering to those who most certainly do not have our interests at heart. Put this way, neither me nor any of my family have ever traded in slavery, but should I have to pay?

 

[gregbrighton]

Why don't you put forward the idea that the Scandinavians should pay for their warring activities on our shores through the dark/middle ages? See how far you get with that one!

Anyone perpetuating the myth that we have some moral obligation to atone for our distant forefathers actions has a screw loose. As others have mentioned, places like the West Indies, India and others have actually benefitted in the long term from the British Empire should we ask these nations to now pay for the infrastructure that was built under British rule?

And the liberal hand wringers like the OP who continue spread these moral campaigns are actually making it more likely by making their drivel seem acceptable, leading to our own population becoming less affluent as they pay for these reparations. They should remember that you need to keep those around you onside, not alienated by giving their hard earned lifestyle away from under their nose.

The tone of my opening posts suggests that I don't agree with this proposal at all but it doesn't stop the far-right numpties on this forum (the usual suspects) seething and foaming at the mouth whenever anything to do with race, migrants or travellers is mentioned.

 

[Pevenseagull]

When the weather gets shit I want Ethiopia to pay me for inventing human beings

 

[wellquickwoody]

Guardian news

I think it is a fair point. The axis powers had to pay reparations for the World Wars so I don't see why Caribbean nations should not be entitled (as the dog with the bandaged ear on the telly says) to compensation.

The tone of my opening posts suggests that I don't agree with this proposal at all.

Really?

 

[nicko31]

If it weren't for slavery they'd be no Mr. Bolt...

 

[hitony]

Errrmmm......the world has been without Bob Marley for some years now...............

You wouldnt think so.......not long got back from there, whilst the place is a lovely island, and I WAS a massive Bob Marley fan, but all you eat drink and sleep is bloody BOB MARLEY!!!! if I ever hear "Stir it up" again.....I will scream!!!

 

[symyjym]

African ancestors collaborated with Europeans and Arabs slave traders. They helped to raid and kidnap defenseless communities and handed them over for personal gain.

In some sense it would have been impossible to do it on the same scale without assistance from African Chiefs at the time.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

are you the lilt man or the detective off death in paradise?

Hedonistic club manager
regards
DR

 

[Insel affe]

B

Guardian news

I think it is a fair point. The axis powers had to pay reparations for the World Wars so I don't see why Caribbean nations should not be entitled (as the dog with the bandaged ear on the telly says) to some form of compensation. Does it have to be cash though? Perhaps Jamaica would accept 'erbs....

Yeah if we can then go cap in hand to the Italians, maybe we have a case with the Normans, tricky that one though we may have to go Norway direct....

God this would open up every country in the world to this.

 

[alfredmizen]

Couldn't imagine the world without Bob Marley.

im afraid youll have to, he died years ago.