The UK Government must urgently commit to increased support for Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. 

That’s according to Denis O’Brien, founder of The Repair Campaign, a movement for reparatory justice in the Caribbean.

“The UK extracted billions of pounds’ worth of wealth from Jamaica over hundreds of years, exploiting enslaved people to, in turn, exploit the country’s natural resources,” he said. “Colonialism wreaked havoc on Jamaica’s natural environment, massively increasing its vulnerability to extreme weather events.

“There is a direct link between the UK’s shameful past in Jamaica – and across the Caribbean region – and the devastation we have witnessed in recent weeks. In Jamaica alone, the Government estimates it will cost in the region of £5 billion to address the damage the hurricane caused. And, in response, to date the UK has pledged a paltry £7.5 million. That is simply not good enough.

“I am calling on the UK Government to urgently increase their support for Jamaica, ensuring the country – a member of the Commonwealth – can both address the urgent humanitarian crisis it is facing in the short term; and rebuild in the long term.”

The Link between the climate crisis and reparations

 O’Brien acknowledged the excellent work and responsiveness of the British High Commissioner, Alicia Herbert OBE, and her team in Kingston to quickly mobilise support on the ground in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

He also said that, ultimately, the UK Government must progress reparatory justice to strengthen the Caribbean region’s climate resilience.

“These types of extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common,” he said. “They inflict a huge human and financial cost, and – as we all know – it is the countries that have done least to cause the climate crisis that are now suffering its worst effects. Only through reparatory justice can Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region increase its climate resilience for future generations. The issue of reparations is not going away. It is now well past time for the UK Government to commit to reparatory justice.”