German researcher and Bristol resident Till Bruckner, in a letter to the UK Guardian on Tuesday September 19th, has highlighted the need for Britain to atone for its past of slavery and colonization in the Caribbean region. Bruckner stated that it is time for the former colonial power to “pay up and enable them to rebuild.” His letter to the publication comes in the wake of the devastation of a string of powerful hurricanes in the region, the most recent being Hurricane Maria, which has left much of the island of Dominica crippled and devoid of telecommunication.
Bruckner, who resided in Dominica for six months during 2015-2016, admits that although he is not of Dominican lineage he has “good friends” in the country and hopes that his words “help to pressure on the UK government to be generous with reconstruction support.”
Link to full letter below:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/19/britain-must-honour-its-debt-to-caribbean-islands
This is also a poignant time for the caribbean islands and Dominica in particular to question their Commonwealth membership, because it at times like this help from the richer commonwealth contries should be forthcoming.
WHY THE COMMONWEALTH!!! …………………..WHO BENEFITS…….WHO IS IT PROPING UP, THE QUEEN??????
I lived in Dominica in 1998. Interesting place. I hope they recover.
Britain never stopped aiding & assisting Dominica especially in the time of disaster. Hurricane we saw five States army based here in Dominica the country leading was the British. We are 40 years gone now into independence, we did not fight for it, we used protocol going into independence. Our failure has been some of our own leaders, so we have to clean up our own house and stop being dependence blaming the motherland etc as excuses for own failures. Our leaders since independence even in Africa is that of our own corrupt political leaders, go ask Skerrit he will tell you of the Bin Bobol/Fertilizer bobol and the Red clinic which has turned our people into beggars and the worshipping of a political child, a novice placed into office and political role too big for him. He surrounded himself with all kind of old teeth scoundrels and rogues because he had not yet been mature to hold such a position, now Dominicans are asking for him to Go, “Skerrit Must Go”. Please free up our…
No, no, no! After 40 year of independence from Britain, it owes us? Why? We had nothing to take when the British came, just land upon which crops could be grown and exported. We were not exporting anything before they came. They commercialized us and we did nothing with that knowledge. Today, we have a ”O” export trade and are only making do by selling our passports and we want their money?? How absurd!
Dominica is a disgrace and deserves not a penny more from the UK which has already given it far too much in grants/ overseas aid which has gone directly into the pockets of the less deserving.
I was a history student at convent while readingbthose history books especially btbLenox Honeychurch and realized they made no sense to my young mind. Brainwashed, I cried silently. I do not blame Lennox for what he wrote but things need to make sense. The hospital neebto be renamed. When last has the person name it carries contributed to the hospital. Dominica has lawyers why dont they get togrther and find some way to make England pay for how the caribbean islands have been treated.
With all the discussions on Christopher Columbus statue in New York the caribbean countries have yet to expose what took place. He Lied through his teeth. Does the italians who have him on a pedestal know what he did. They were never informed.
Excellent suggestion. However, I would leave Britain out of it. If they want to help they will help. I have confidence though that they will somehow help.
D/ca will get a lot of help in time and will be back on its feet again better than before even though it will take time.
God bless Dominica. God bless nationals who have experienced the wrath of Hurricane Maria. May He give them all the necessary strength through this.
As a few words of a religious song:
Through it all, through it all,
Oh I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God,
Through it all, through it all,
Oh I’ve learned to depend upon His Love.
God will see D/ca and nationals through as He always did in the past. Recall Hurricane David, even though it was not as bad as Hurricane Maria. It was bad enough. Then there was Allen and TS Erika.
Confidence in God! D/ca will rise again! Take heart fellow D/can residents. Our prayers are with you and whatever help we can give.
Experiencing hurricane David at the age of twelve,the first soldiers I remembering coming to help was the French and American.The French took some of my family’s to leave with them.England,and its sad,says that we to big for our boots to get independent so we got to sort ourselves out,at twelve years and still remember that.jah bless and we made it through.now I have family and child I could help look after so I would like to know what would they do.sad but true.
I agree. Especially going to David so soon after independence when the country was just learning to stand on her own, set us back years.
For real! Not a hand out a hand up. Jah guidance to everyone in Dominica stay strong Jah is great all the time!
This so true .