The Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) approved a revised plan for reparatory justice at the just-concluded 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government (5-8 July 2026).
Addressing the media on Wednesday, following the meeting in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, the Honourable Philip J. Pierre, highlighted the Meeting’s driving purpose, stating, “The discussions were guided by a central idea: to improve the lives of the people of the Caribbean Community.“
The Meeting advanced several initiatives to reaffirm the Community’s commitment to reparatory justice and its role in regional development. Prime Minister Pierre announced that CARICOM Heads of Government had approved the Revised CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment. The manifesto, developed by the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), seeks redress from European nations for the transatlantic slave trade and the genocide of Indigenous peoples.
The Chair further outlined several initiatives to advance the Community’s reparations agenda. He noted, “This includes strengthening collaboration with the African Union, a strong CARICOM presence at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (1-4 November 2026), the Third Regional Conference on Reparations in Barbados and the unveiling of the Newton Slave Burial Ground Memorial in Barbados.”
On the margins of the Meeting, on Monday 6 July, the Government of Saint Lucia and the CARICOM Secretariat hosted a CARICOM Reparations Forum. This dialogue centred on the Global Manifesto for Enlightenment, Socio-Economic Reparatory Justice Reporting, and Sustainable Development, underscoring CARICOM’s ongoing advocacy for reparatory justice and its role in advancing sustainable development across the Region.
Key speakers at the Forum included Sir Hilary Beckles, CRC Chair; Earl Bousquet, Chair of the Saint Lucia National Reparations Committee (NRC); and Ambassador Dr June Soomer, Member of the CRC.
During his remarks, Sir Hilary highlighted the recent adoption by the United Nations of a declaration recognising the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
Expanding on this development, Sir Hilary stated, “For 300 years, did we have a legal case for reparatory justice? The answer now is yes. The case has been made. There’s nothing more to discuss whether there’s a case or not. The question now is implementation and demand. That’s where we are now at this moment. That is why Africa and the CARICOM are now in league, providing global leadership for the next phase.”
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