Carib Leaders: Free BVI, Reparations From UK

M.A. Dworkin

UK - A group of Caribbean leaders from the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), on a four-day official tour of the United Kingdom (UK), have made headlines around the world with their demand to free the British Virgin Islands (BVI) from under British rule, and calls for reparations from the UK, along with requests for the independence of European and American territories in the Caribbean region. 

The CRC recently launched a new manifesto demanding a moral, ethical and legal case for reparations from colonial powers, demanding that the UK return the BVIs and calling upon King Charles to commit to decolonizing the British overseas territories. 

The CRC, representing 12 states in the Caribbean region (excluding the USVI) flagged that the region remained “the most colonized part of the world.” The British overseas territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos have internal self-governance, but remain under the control of the UK. The UK government holds controls over matters of defense, international affairs, security and legal matters. 

“We in the Caribbean remain the most colonized part of the world, and this has to stop,” said Hilary Beckles, Chairman of CRC. “We are saying to the world and to the United Nations to bring an end to colonization, because if we do not bring it into the framework of reparatory justice, we might see a resurgence of colonisation elsewhere… And we are beginning to see signs of that. People sending their armies into other people’s territories and taking control. We begin to see how power can lead to a resurgence of colonization.”

The CRC said there are over 20 territories in the Caribbean which are ruled by Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States.

“We object to the fact that in the Virgin Islands (BVI), our people cannot make fundamental decisions because they have to consult with the British governor and then consult with Downing Street in order to make certain decisions that are critical to well-being,” said Mr. Beckles.

Among other demands, CARICOM leaders are seeking a formal apology, improvements in education and public health, development programs for indigenous people and repatriation and resettlement for those seeking to live in their homeland.

Around 12 million Africans were forcefully taken by European nations between the 16th and 19th century, and those who survived the trip across the Atlantic Ocean were enslaved on plantations in the Caribbean and in other places where they were forced to live under brutal conditions. 

In March 2026, the UN introduced a resolution spearheaded by Ghana declaring the transatlantic slave trade was the “gravest crime against humanity.” While the resolution received 125 votes in favor, three countries including Argentina, Israel and the U.S. voted against, and 52 including the UK abstained.

Britain’s King Charles has acknowledged the painful history of the transatlantic slave trade and expressed personal sorrow, but he has stopped short of issuing a formal apology or directly endorsing financial reparations. As a constitutional monarch, his public statements must align with the official policy of the British government, which has declined to pay reparations.