On October 27 local time, British King Charles III visited the Bahamas, beginning his visit to the Caribbean region. He spoke in the Bahamas, acknowledging that slavery had brought great suffering and injustice throughout history, and stated that issues related to this matter would be discussed at the Commonwealth Summit. However, the UK still refuses to provide compensation.
Charles III said, “We know that the best aspects of Bahamian culture—those aspects full of joy, hope, and light—came from darkness. While we rejoice in our current successes, we should also confront the great suffering and injustice that these islands and broader regions have endured in the past.”
This is Charles III's first visit to the Bahamas as the British monarch. According to The Associated Press, all public schools on New Providence Island were closed to welcome Charles III, and cultural events were held in Clifford Park. In 1973, Charles visited the park as the Prince of Wales, during which he announced that Britain would end its rule over the Bahamas.
Some protesters held a rally near the park, demanding compensation from the British government. One protester shouted, “Give us back the money you owe us! I’m standing here to remember those terrorist acts against black people.”
Although Charles III promised to ‘face history head-on’ and discussed issues related to the history of the slave trade at the Commonwealth Summit, the UK still refuses to provide compensation to the relevant countries.
British King Charles III Visits The Bahamas - Visual China
Before the visit, Buckingham Palace issued a statement indicating that the British King would not avoid the impact of colonial history and the slave trade. During his visit to the Caribbean region, the King will reflect on the issues left by the slave trade. However, Charles III will maintain the same stance as the British government; he will not apologize for the actions taken by Britain during the slave trade, nor will he make any compensation.
Reuters reported that from the 15th to the 19th century, more than 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped by Europeans and transported to America as slaves. Among them, Britain enslaved more than 3.2 million people, making it one of the largest slave trading nations.
In recent years, the issue of compensation has become a concern for countries in the Caribbean region. Many nations have demanded that the British government apologize for the crimes committed during the slave trade and provide compensation in monetary form. The British government has always refused to pay such compensation. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Barnett stated on September 7, “The UK will not pay compensation at present, nor will it do so in the future.”
This year’s Commonwealth Government Summit will take place in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1st to 4th. Last month, the Caribbean Community expressed its hope to include compensation issues on the agenda of this summit. Kara Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community, said: “The Caribbean region has always believed that compensation is fundamentally a matter of justice.”
Previously, Ralph González, the former Prime Minister of the Caribbean island nations of Saint Vincent and Grenadines, pointed out that many of the development shortcomings faced by the Caribbean region can be traced back to the genocide and slavery practiced by colonial powers such as Britain. “It must be remembered that the wealth of European countries is built on slavery.”
