By Andrew Young And Victoria Mckeown-
Jamaica has hinted to the royal family never to visit the country again, following the poor reception the Duke and Duchess Of Sussex were given during their 3 day tour.
Greeted by protests over slavery and the call for reparations, it was quite clear that Jamaicans want no part of the royal family until they are satisfied with the reparations they have called for.
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent tour was in “sharp opposition to the needs and aspirations of the Caribbean people”, a human rights alliance from the region said this week.
Last week, the leader of the Jamaican opposition party, Lisa Hanna, was believed to have snubbed the Duchess Of Cambridge during her Jamaican tour with her husband, Prince Harry, when Middleton attempted to talk to her and she quickly looked away and then looked back.
She claimed the clip was manipulated and taken out of context, insisting that she has nothing but respect and cordiality for her, as evidenced by her other photos. The cordiality reflected in the other photos may have been for the cameras, but the strong rhetoric and seriousness with which Hanna talks of the belief that reparations need to be taken seriously, is strong enough to suggest the brief snubb was likely intended, however colourful her words may be.
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The recent call from a Human Rights Alliance in Jamaica which said that the British monarchy’s historic role in the slave trade continues to damage the Caribbean’s society and economy, reveals a very tense divide between Jamaica and anything British, making it clear the royal family are not really welcome in Jamaica. Not until reparations are addressed, and perharps the time for that conversations is here, as cosy visits to Jamaica by the royal family are clearly not welcome.
The attitude might as well be extended to the British government if they are as serious as they say. The Queen has accepted that the destiny of the 15 Commonwealth realms of which she is Head of State resides with the people of those countries. When Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, while he p made it clear that the Prince would never be Jamaica’s King. His country, and told them his country was “moving on”. He said there were “unresolved issues… but Jamaica intended to fulfil its true ambitions and destiny to become an independent and prosperous country”.
His statements and ambitions was beyond rebuke, as he exercised his right to design his country as he wishes and seek to move away from the colonial past as much a she wants.
Where the so-called Jamaican elites are going wrong is in their hostile rejection and lack of true hospitality for the royal couple in the manner of their objections and what appeared to be an organized attack without a meeting point for progress.
Expression Of Deep Regret And Sorrow
Jamaican politicians and statesmen and women acknowledge that the expression of sorrow they got from the royal family is the best they could hope for, as it is an expression of regret for the deeds of British ancestors. Progressing to sensible dialogue after acknowledging an expression of deep sorrow is believed to be a positive step forward, rather than reinforcing the historical tension and divide, which is more likely to offend the mind and hearts needed for any kind of real progress moving forward.
” It is clear to see the deep anger and resentment entrenched in the minds of the Jamaican people. This matter has been discussed over the years among their intellectual, but but they seem to be taking an extreme hardline position , mental health analyst Deon Vernhoven told The Eye Of Media.Com.
‘When a people call for an outcome they believe is fair and don’t get it, they become angry and frustrated as time goes on. That anger can evolve to resentment. First they must consider how reasonable their expectations are. Almost every country was subjected to slavery in history at some point, and even the well of countries of the world today have indigenous people who are suffering greatly.
‘There is nothing wrong in Jamaicans wanting an apology, but from who? Does every country that was enslaved need to obtain an apology from every country that enslaved them? Prince William expressed deep sorrow, and it has to be common sense that if he could express an apology he would have. How can they take it out on this nice couple who came to offer a spirit of friendship?”
Repeating the call for reparations to be paid by the UK government, the alliance said: “We stand united in rejecting this so-called charm offensive tour of the Caribbean undertaken by William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which is in sharp opposition to the needs and aspirations of indigenous peoples and people of African descent in the Caribbean.
“We stand united in condemning Britain’s savagery in enslaving our ancestors, the coarse indecency of colonial exploitation, the brutality of its enforcers and the enduring legacies of impoverishment and colonial-era ideologies that have damaged and continue to damage our people, our society and our economy.”
When a government committee in the Bahamas called on the royals to issue “a full and formal apology for their crimes against humanity”, the language is combative and hostile.
William issued a statement after the trip – understood to have not been discussed with the Queen and Prince Charles first – in which he said the visit “had brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future”.
Harm
Cristina Coc, leader of the Maya community in southern Belize, was further combative in her attack of the duke and duchess for not going beyond saying sorry.
“Before they ask us to heal, they must right the wrongs they have caused indigenous people and people of African heritage,” she said. “The powers and systems that continue to foster imperialism must acknowledge the harm done, not merely by an apology but by a true recognition of our inalienable human rights, land rights and true reparative justice.
“We will not continue to remain silent in the face of continued threats to our identity, dignity and agency while privileged royals travel around in desperation to maintain the legacy of colonies.”
Niambi Hall-Campbell, of the University of the Bahamas, criticized the cost to taxpayers in the country to fund the royal tour.
She said: “Why are we being made to pay again? Why are we footing the bills for the benefit of a regime whose rise to greatness was fuelled by the enslavement, colonization and degradation of the people of this land, when we should be the ones receiving payments?
“Several hundred thousand dollars in public resources and manpower were dedicated to accommodating the royal visit at a time when thousands of Bahamians are struggling to make ends meet amid high inflation.”
Meanwhile, Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies and chair of the Caricom Reparation Committee, said it was an “embarrassment” that the Queen continues as head of state to a number of Caribbean countries.
He said: “It is now today, at this time to us, an embarrassment, that we should have a head of state who does not live among us, who does not understand the lives and the pain and suffering of the people who are her subjects, who cannot perform any role or functions among the people over who she presides and has to hire someone to do her work … because either she is too busy or unwilling, unable, cannot perform her duty as head of state and delegates that duty to someone else.
“These are part of the embarrassments of colonialism that we can no longer take.”
The tone of the conversation is simply unhelpful, as it appears that a team of high officials have come together to damage the relationship more, rather than seek to repair it, through careful thinking and insight. The tendency for the Jamaican elite to attack will not foster healing or progress, it will only deepen division.
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