King Charles to face demands for an apology in the Caribbean — The Guardian

King Charles III is embarking on a nine-day tour of the Bahamas, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, where he will take part in a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government. His visit will be accompanied by protests and demands for an official apology for the British monarchy’s historical ties to the transatlantic slave trade, The Guardian reports.

Activists warn that the tour could accelerate the movement to remove Charles as head of state in several countries in the region if he does not do more to acknowledge the monarchy’s colonial past. Cultural historian and UK representative of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Patrick Vernon called the trip an important test for the future of the Commonwealth.

No apology planned

The king is expected to deliver three speeches during the trip. At the same time, according to the publication, he will follow the British government’s advice not to formally apologize for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. The UK government has also ruled out paying reparations.

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The organizer of the protest in the Bahamas, Rastafarian leader Richmond McKinney, said that the regret expressed by the monarchy is insufficient. According to him, demands for freedom, atonement and international repatriation had already been voiced during protests against Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980s.

Reparations on the agenda

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali indicated ahead of the visit that he wants progress on reparations, which should begin with an apology. Formally, the issue of reparations is not included on the agenda of this year’s Commonwealth leaders’ meeting in Antigua, but the chair of the Caribbean Reparations Commission, Hilary Beckles, expects participants from the Caribbean region and Africa to raise it during the summit.

Among the factors that have intensified the discussion, the publication cites a UN resolution introduced by Ghana, which defines the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity and calls for restorative justice. Next March, the British Privy Council is due to consider a Jamaican petition on reparations for slavery submitted to the king.