Readers’ reactions

Editorial | Reparation must be on Commonwealth’s agenda

The bigger question is, what is the real purpose of “The Commonwealth”? Is it just colonisation in disguise? Professor Diana Brydon addresses this issue brilliantly in her essay, “Commonwealth or Common Poverty?” Her focus is on literature but her question is applicable to other disciplines such as economics and politics. There is much more justice to be found in the Commonwealth, than the United Nations.– Carolyn Cooper

Are you aware that there are nations who are belonging to the Commonwealth that were not former colonies? Are you also aware that at least two African countries have applied for membership to the Commonwealth? The many advantages of trade, etc, plus educational opportunities are there to be used. The other advantage is safety as the Commonwealth will go to the help of any member that needs help in respect of invasion or war. – mama-ess

Very well stated – Chuck Emmanuel

It takes two hands to clap – there were sellers and they were buyers – who sold the slaves. What did the buyers pay to these sellers and were the “slaves all by the waterfront and taken from there across the Atlantic”. What were the lower-class people in places such as UK known as, and what were they called earlier in places like the Greek City States where Democracy came from and where there, too, was a city state called Sparta. Reparation is dicey. But can we not now work out things ? Stop the blame game, and let us together work things out! The buyers have been paid, the sellers, can they now pay? Here is one way – replace reparation with no taxes on import from the Caribbean. Employ English language teachers from the Caribbean. Think African, Ubuntu, as a point of departure in correcting this slavery business. One hand can’t clap, it takes two to tango – stop the blame game. Work things out and don’t demean each other. Move on and upwards together. – edjohnson

Readers’ reactions sourced from Gleaner online.