A British Family is set to make history this month by issuing an apology and paying reparations to the island of Grenada.
On February 27th, the Trevelyan Family will publicly apologise to the people of Grenada for its ownership of over 1,000 enslaved Africans who worked across its six sugar plantations in Grenada.
Last week, the family reportedly agreed to sign off on a letter of apology for the enslavements. So far, the letter has received 42 signatures from members of the family, with more expected before the February trip.
After abolishing slavery in 1834 the Trevelyan family was paid £26,868 the following year in compensation by the British Government. Now, the family has donated a £100,000 fund to the country of Grenada, to be officially launched during the February visit.
The donation will be welcomed by Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission Sir Hilary Beckles and will contribute to the establishment of a Reparations Research Fund at the University of the West Indies which will research the economic impacts of slavery with a focus on development in the Eastern Caribbean.
The Trevelyan family has also urged the British Government to “enter into meaningful negotiations with the governments of the Caribbean in order to make appropriate reparations through CARICOM”.
The Grenada National Reparations Commission said the gesture was commendable.