“An apology without repair is incomplete” – CARICOM rejects UK position on reparations

October 31, 2026

“An apology without repair is incomplete.”

That is the position of CARICOM Chair, Philip J. Pierre, as the regional body responds to a recent article by United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham, published in the UK media.

In a statement this morning, Mr. Pierre welcomed Britain’s expressed willingness to engage on the issue of reparatory justice, but stressed that an apology for the transatlantic slave trade cannot be the end of the conversation.

He said CARICOM fundamentally disagrees with the UK position that “reparations are not the right answer”.

Mr. Pierre argued that the issue is not about assigning personal blame to present-day Britons, but the responsibility of States and institutions for historical injustices and their lasting consequences.

He pointed out that following emancipation, the British State compensated enslavers for the loss of their enslaved labourers, while the formerly enslaved received no compensation.

He said the legacy of enslavement continues to be reflected in health disparities, educational inequality, economic vulnerability and the debt burden faced by Caribbean countries.

Mr. Pierre is therefore insisting that any structured dialogue with the UK must include all elements of CARICOM’s ten-point plan for reparatory justice, including a formal apology, public health, education, debt cancellation and monetary compensation.

He said CARICOM’s Reparations Commission and Prime Ministerial sub-committee are ready to work with the UK Government to establish the terms and timetable for the proposed talks.

The issue is expected to feature prominently at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which starts in Antigua and Barbuda tomorrow.