CARICOM’s ten-point plan for reparatory justice, adopted by Caribbean Heads of Government in 2014 and revised since, presents itself as a comprehensive and serious framework for addressing the legacies of slavery and colonialism. The plan calls for a full formal apology from former colonial powers; repatriation assistance for descendants of enslaved Africans who wish to return to Africa; the cancellation of Caribbean public debt; a programme to address the chronic disease crisis; illiteracy eradication programmes; an African knowledge programme; psychological rehabilitation; technology transfer; debt cancellation; and the development of Caribbean cultural institutions.
The plan is framed as a programme of reparatory justice rather than simply financial compensation. CARICOM argues that it represents a carefully considered and proportionate response to centuries of colonial extraction, designed to give Caribbean nations the resources and support they need to achieve genuine self-sustaining development. It has been endorsed by Caribbean Heads of Government, has academic support from figures including Sir Hilary Beckles, and has been presented in international forums including the United Nations and the Commonwealth.
