ROSE HALL, St James — Jamaica’s stated intention to seek reparation for slavery has been bolstered by support from member states within the Caribbean Community (Caricom), according to Caricom chair, Prime Minister of Jamaica Dr Andrew Holness.

“I’m pleased to report that there was broad support for Jamaica moving forward with a petition to King Charles III, in his capacity as Jamaica’s Head of State, to seek a formal ruling from the Privy Council on whether the Atlantic enslavement of Africans was lawful under common law and whether local laws supporting it were invalid,” he said.

Holness was speaking Tuesday during a media briefing at the end of the three-day Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in Montego Bay.

The petition raises the issue of whether slavery, as practised in Jamaica up to 1838, was a crime against humanity under international law. It also questions whether the United Kingdom bears a legal obligation to provide reparation to Jamaica and its people for the enduring harm caused.

“Through the use of this legal route to challenge the historical legality of slavery and assert claims for reparation, this petition will mark a watershed moment for Caricom and the broader global movement for reparatory justice,” Holness explained.

“The Caribbean Reparations Committee also has an approach, which is a much broader approach, which seeks to look at the developmental aspects of the reparation movement and approach, and we had discussions internally as to how both strategies can be reconciled,” he said.

According to Holness, the consensus was that, “both strategies reinforce each other, and it was agreed therefore that Jamaica could move forward”.

Caribbean countries have long agitated for Britain to pay reparation for transatlantic slavery, and the issue has been gaining traction alongside discussions on reparation in other locations around the world.

Jamaica’s own reparation fight has been partly through the efforts of Parliamentarian Mike Henry, who brought a resolution to Cabinet decades ago.

Henry, according to Holness, chose to appeal to the Head of State through the Commonwealth’s advisory body to the Crown — which is the Privy Council — to test whether or not slavery was actually legal under British law.

On Tuesday, Holness stressed that while it was Jamaica making this push, it would certainly impact other countries that do not have the monarchy as their Head of State.

“We don’t know what the outcome will be but whatever the outcome is, it advances the cause of reparation,” he said.

“If the answer is yes, it was illegal, then clearly everybody benefits. If the answer is no, then we understand what the position of the former colonial power is, and we know how to strategise around that. So, it’s a win-win for everyone,” added Holness.