Dear Editor,

It seems to many that when we focus on the brutality of slavery and the making of profit from the human trade we are on reasonable moral grounds to now demand compensation. All things being equal, that’s a no-brainer. After all, the very ones most profiting from sugar cane slavery were the ones “compensated” with 25 million pounds.

This is corruption of the highest order. Even the arable lands, such as existed in this tight little island space, were corruptly acquired by profits secured from the slave trade. As far as being able to buy seats in Parliament the “Jamaicans” (slave owners) were often able to outbid English-born Lords.

All this is well known. The trick now is how will we realistically get the English to admit that they owe us anything?

Of course, they have no intention of “compensating” Jamaican descendants of former slaves, and they have many legs to stand on it seems. They can say they introduced — eventually — parliamentary democracy, an idea which is badly functioning in many African countries. They introduced a civil service, and governmental models which we use to hold the society together even today. However, I think the real problem is that we have so many social problems about which our politicians have made only slight improvements.

Britain had and still has one of the most class-conscious societies in the world. This, and its various forms of prejudice, such as classism, racism and colourism, is used to keep everyone in check. When this is married to African tribalism — itself exclusionist, cronyistic, and often corrupt — we have an almost insoluble problem.

So, our problem is as Bob Marley termed it — mental slavery. We must solve our societal ills to have a chance to stop the murders. If this continues to spread Jamaica will become unliveable, and no amount of reparations that we fight for and win can help.

Cathy Brown

cathy291181@yahoo.com