Slavery's Unpaid Debt: Jamaica Takes a New Route to Reparations The Jamaican delegation's decision to file a petition seeking legal guidance on slavery reparations from King Charles III marks a significant development in the long standing quest for acknowledgment or compensation for the transatlantic slave trade.
For decades, Jamaica and other former British colonies have pushed for some form of recognition for the centuries long exploitation.
At the heart of the matter are three straightforward yet loaded questions: whether enslavement was legal under English common law, if it violated international law, and whether the UK has a duty to provide remedies for the harm caused by slavery.