Reparations must not be forgotten, says Hanna

Opposition spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Lisa Hanna says she is heartened by the announcement that Jamaica is set to become a truly independent Republic but is insisting that reparations should not be forgotten.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Wednesday told Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge that Jamaica was moving on from the Queen as head of state.

READ: Holness says Jamaica intent on removing Queen as head of State

"We have long been standing on our own two feet and I look forward to the further codification of this fact," said Hanna adding that reparations must be part of the conversation and the action plan.

"We must not pretend that moving toward Republic status somehow makes the reparations conversation mute. The fact remains that immediately upon slavery's end, the slaveholders received reparations. The slaves never did neither did their descendants, who, to this day, have received nothing” Hanna said.

She has urged the governments of Jamaica and the United Kingdom to have dialogue good faith in advancing the cause of reparations urging both sides to finally right the historical wrongs of slavery and colonialism centuries later.

"The policy framework is there," she said.

While she was Minister of Youth and Culture in 2014,  Hanna was a part of the CARICOM Reparations Commission.

"We developed a clear policy framework and way forward on this critical issue. It's time for all parties to come together in good faith and get justice done, not because it's easy, but because it's the right thing to do,” she said.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com