Exclusive: 'Sorry is not enough', Caribbean states say of British slavery apologies

By Guy Faulconbridge

 

Lloyd's building is pictured in the City of London financial district, in London, Britain, June 18, 2020. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British financial institutions that benefited from slavery such as Lloyd’s of London should go further than saying sorry for their role in the Atlantic slave trade and atone for their sins by funding Caribbean development, the region’s countries said.

 

More than 10 million Africans were shackled into the Atlantic slave trade by European nations between the 15th and 19th centuries. Those who survived the often brutal voyage, ended up toiling on plantations in the Americas.

 

While the history of Europe’s scramble for African slaves has been widely known for centuries, the death of George Floyd in the United States has prompted a sweeping global reassessment of racism and the financing of the slave trade.

 

The Lloyd’s of London insurance market apologised on Thursday for its “shameful” role in the 18th Century Atlantic slave trade and pledged to fund opportunities for black and ethnic minority people.

 

But a regional alliance of Caribbean countries said that Britain’s institutions should go much further than simply apologising and give some of the wealth back to the Caribbean by funding development at the epicentre of the slave trade.

 

“It is not enough to say sorry,” said Hilary Beckles, chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission which was set up by Caribbean countries to seek reparations from former colonial powers such as the United Kingdom, France and Portugal.

 

“We are not asking for anything as mendicant as handing out cheques to people on street corners,” Beckles told Reuters from Jamaica. “The issue of money is secondary, but in this instance the moral discharge of one’s duty does require in a market economy that you contribute towards development.”

 

There was no immediate reply from Lloyd’s of London to a request for comment.

 

NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT

 

Beckles, a Barbadian historian, said the antecedents of many British and European banks, as well as an array of accompanying institutions in the City of London, “drank from the well of Caribbean slavery”.

 

The Bank of England apologised for what it called the “inexcusable connections” of some past governors and directors to slavery, and said it would remove any portraits of them from display anywhere on its premises.

 

The history of several other British financial firms, including Barclays (BARC.L), is also under fresh scrutiny.

 

“Unfortunately, one cannot go back and remake the history but you can make atonement: it is not enough to make your apology as a public spectacle, it is not enough to present it as public relations exercise,” said Beckles.

 

“It is not about public relations - it is about a negotiated settlement whereby everyone finds closure within a moral framework,” he said. “To say sorry and issue a press release is disrespectful - it does not fly with the people who were victimized.”

 

British institutions, he said, should sit down with Caribbean nations to fund development projects - or even consider a sort of “Marshall Plan” to give some of the plundered wealth back - a reference to the U.S. aid given to Europe after the destruction of World War Two.

 

“The British legacy of slavery and colonalisation has left the black community in quite a mess,” Beckles said, adding that he was not calling for litigation of any kind.

 

“All the institutions that created this mess really have to come and help in practical ways to clean it up.”

 

On Britain’s broader reassessment of its past, Beckles said public consciousness was catching up with history.

 

“Public consciousness is catching up with history: that moment has come. British public morality has caught up with its own institutional history of slavery.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-19

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

cake and eat it springs to mind, lets give them money because hundreds of years ago their far distant relations, suffered hardship, so did the white Europeans that were treated as slaves, Romans conquered,  Egyptians used slave labour etc. history is full of countries being conquered and enslaved,  the past is the past just make the most of it, don't ask for hand outs

If they are looking for money, Saying sorry on a bended knee is all we can offer,

as i think the UK has run out of money, due to the Government paying Millions

of workers for doing nothing.

regards worgeordie

Back then us British sent their own to Australia for stealing a loaf of bread, or even hanged them, press gangs lifted drunks off the streets and threw them aboard ships to be away for months on end.

Sailors were keel hauled for being naughty too. Occupied gallows were at crossroads to warn naughty folk of their possible demise. Folk were even put on the "Rack" to be stretched, pull their bones out of their sockets, hung drawn and quartered whilst still alive even..

 

Things have changed a tad since then though...????

26 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Unfortunately, one cannot go back and remake the history but you can make atonement: it is not enough to make your apology as a public spectacle, it is not enough to present it as public relations exercise,” said Beckles.

 

“It is not about public relations - it is about a negotiated settlement whereby everyone finds closure within a moral framework,” he said. “To say sorry and issue a press release is disrespectful - it does not fly with the people who were victimized.”

Well said, could not agree more. 

Appalled by the Atlantic slave trade,  I nevertheless used to joke with a Jamaican friend in London: "You were dead lucky. We took you out of the African jungle and put you on a Caribbean beach."

 

 

22 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Well said, could not agree more. 

So do we pursue the Romans, Normans, Germans for financial closure regarding their atrocities...?

37 minutes ago, transam said:

Back then us British sent their own to Australia for stealing a loaf of bread, or even hanged them, press gangs lifted drunks off the streets and threw them aboard ships to be away for months on end.

Sailors were keel hauled for being naughty too. Occupied gallows were at crossroads to warn naughty folk of their possible demise. Folk were even put on the "Rack" to be stretched, pull their bones out of their sockets, hung drawn and quartered whilst still alive even..

 

Things have changed a tad since then though...????

Since then they let the women free.....

And how did we know this one was coming?

Let's do nothing with our economies except to allow crooks and despots in government to plunder their wealth. We won't stand up for ourselves or build an economy as we are too bloody bone idle 

Then we will play the slave card from 250 years or more ago and make the white man guilty and bail us out whilst we bask in ' playing the victim ' and doing <deleted> all to help ourselves.

Yep, sounds familiar and usually a tried and trusted winner is playing the Race Card!

Makes me puke! 

None of them complaining have ever been slaves and no white people alive today have ever owned any 

You cannot build your future if you just want to talk about the past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You love give's us such a thrill

But your love don't pay our bill

We want money!

14 minutes ago, transam said:

So do we pursue the Romans, Normans, Germans for financial closure regarding their atrocities...?

 The Briti didn't want the Romans to leave, they knew what the Viking hordes would do to them once the Romans had gone.

 

Tough one really. After all calling the sons to task for the sins of their ancestors over which those sons had no control, is generally not considered right. I have always been both proud whilst also ashamed of being British. My ancestors were quite awful folks, though views of civil liberties and rights were not as advanced, so even they didn't realise at the time how evil what they were doing would later be considered.

Is it right to say sorry? Absolutely!

Is it right for those whose ancestors were involved to demand more? I am not so sure.

Accept the apology gracefully and use the subsequent friendship to amicably see how cooperation can further heal wounds to everyone's benefit would be a better way to go I believe.

Many things happening today around the world will for sure be considered disgraceful by generations to come I am sure. There needs to be some sort of limit to culpability generations later though.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

More than 10 million Africans were shackled into the Atlantic slave trade by European nations between the 15th and 19th centuries.

But they were not hunted own by European in Africa were they. They were rounded up and captured by their fellow African brothers. European have organized the shipping but they could have done it without help from African slave traders. How do these African traders make reparations. 

It seems to me that equality is not what people are protesting for, but power & money.

 

And as Trans says, just how far back will this all go...?

 

 

 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/my-great-grandfather-the-nigerian-slave-trader

 

" Nwaubani Ogogo was a slave trader who gained power and wealth by selling other Africans across the Atlantic"

51 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Well said, could not agree more. 

Ahh the victims ? Can anyone name these hundred year old "victims" 

And does paying out money help these poor victims

Are the Irish going to demand compensation, The blacks in Africa who were captured and sold by rich Africans, The danes and Vikings gunna pay us British for conquering our country and treating us as slaves 

Now it's just getting stupid ! 

Anyone would think that today there were no black folk in jobs of authority or prestige, ie, police, the military, government, actors, musicians, companies, even Royalty circles.

 

There is no limit to what black folk could, can or have achieved in this modern day world...

7 minutes ago, Joinaman said:

Ahh the victims ? Can anyone name these hundred year old "victims" 

And does paying out money help these poor victims

Are the Irish going to demand compensation, The blacks in Africa who were captured and sold by rich Africans, The danes and Vikings gunna pay us British for conquering our country and treating us as slaves 

Now it's just getting stupid ! 

All those you list may well deserve reparations. 
 

Prove their cases and I will support them 100%. 
 

However I do not believe they are the topic under discussion here. 

12 minutes ago, transam said:

Anyone would think that today there were no black folk in jobs of authority or prestige, ie, police, the military, government, actors, musicians, companies, even Royalty circles.

 

There is no limit to what black folk could, can or have achieved in this modern day world...

I see Bluespunk is confused with my above post, so tell me what is confusing for you...? 

34 minutes ago, bannork said:

 The Briti didn't want the Romans to leave, they knew what the Viking hordes would do to them once the Romans had gone.

 

Yes we did, what did The Romans ever do for us ?

 

1 hour ago, transam said:

So do we pursue the Romans, Normans, Germans for financial closure regarding their atrocities...?

Or the Barbary slavers who specialized in White slaves from as far afield as Iceland before selling them in Tangiers.

Give them all free passage back to Africa. Done deal, that's restoring what would never have happened.

2 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Give them all free passage back to Africa. Done deal, that's restoring what would never have happened.

Many folk from far off countries are fighting, risking life and limb to get into the UK today, no need for traders, they are doing it freely, they want what their ancestors have got......

47 minutes ago, transam said:

Anyone would think that today there were no black folk in jobs of authority or prestige, ie, police, the military, government, actors, musicians, companies, even Royalty circles.

 

There is no limit to what black folk could, can or have achieved in this modern day world...

I know of one who became president of the USA.

They want to gather a crowd...have the Brit neal down to kiss his feet...while he pees on the back of his head...

 

Did I get that about right?

1 minute ago, Puchaiyank said:

They want to gather a crowd...have the Brit neal down to kiss his feet...while he pees on the back of his head...

 

Did I get that about right?

Nooo, while his mate nicks his tele.........????

Wasn't it the British who abolished the slave trade - Slave Trade Act 1807 and the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. Can't recall any other nation being in the front line. That's gratitude for you, what's that French saying "oignez vilain il vous plaindra, poignez vilain il vous oindra".

11 minutes ago, baansgr said:

That was stealing, different kettle of fish....in fact there are probably more descendants of slaves alive today because of what happened, so reparations should be paid to the slavers and ole whiteys descendents

Not at all. It was compensation for deaths, imprisonment, all kinds of things.

 

I doubt that stealing human beings will give a better negotiation position to the UK.

 

After all many died in the slave trade. 

9 minutes ago, Logosone said:

 

Whether the perpetrators are still alive is not really relevant

Right then, let's go back to Roman times when they enslaved the British people, & we can get a few quid.