Caribbean leaders have welcomed Prime Minister Burnham's consideration of a formal apology for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, describing it as a significant development, while noting that differences on reparations remain.
Regional Reactions
Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Mottley welcomed Burnham's acknowledgment of the "brutality of the trans-Atlantic slave trade," his openness to a formal apology, and his offer of structured dialogue. She noted the different approach on reparations but said those differences should not prevent progress on health, education, tackling poverty and inequality, and fairer debt terms for vulnerable states.
Continued Calls for Reparatory Justice
Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, called Burnham's comments a "significant and welcome development" and reiterated calls for reparations, but said this could be addressed through dialogue. The Caribbean's longstanding position on reparatory justice remains unchanged, with differences over financial compensation to be addressed through dialogue while allowing progress in areas where agreement is possible.
