KEVON FELMINE
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has discussed national security with Singapore and has been among Caricom leaders pushing for reparations for slavery as he participates in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa.
A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) yesterday stated that Rowley met with Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, for bilateral talks focused on deepening partnerships in training and capacity building.
“The leaders identified national security, digital transformation, and public service reform as sectors for cooperation. Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Senator the Hon Dr Amery Browne, and His Excellency Vishnu Dhanpaul, High Commissioner for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Kingdom, accompanied the Prime Minister,” the statement read.
The OPM also said that Rowley participated in various events at CHOGM, including the executive session at Parliament House. He joined heads of delegations representing over 50 nations from Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific at the formal opening ceremony. The theme for CHOGM 2024 is One Resilient Common Future: Transforming Our Common Wealth, marking the first time the meeting is being held in a Pacific Small Island Developing State (SID).
Browne explained to Guardian Media yesterday, that Prime Minister Rowley is participating in the drive for reparations through discussions with Commonwealth leaders. While the United Kingdom has said, through its Chancellor Rachel Reeves, that it would not be paying reparations for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, Browne said he continues to work strategically with fellow foreign ministers to navigate the challenges.
“The Prime Minister has been doing the same at a higher level, with his ongoing discussions among the heads. It is a point of pride that Trinidad and Tobago is contributing robustly to this priority item on Caricom’s agenda, and we shall eventually prevail, as our principles are clear, and our cause is just. Prime Minister Rowley is respected as one of the key leaders on this and other matters within the Commonwealth family,” Browne said.
On Thursday, the Foreign Affairs Minister addressed a meeting of Commonwealth Ministers of Foreign Affairs and reiterated his stance during an exchange with Guardian Media. Browne said those involved in the fight for reparatory justice must expect resistance from systems that have benefited—and continue to benefit—from the legacy of chattel slavery and colonial exploitation.
The minister also responded to recent comments from the UK Prime Minister that reparations were not on that country’s CHOGM agenda. Browne reminded delegates that it was “their Commonwealth,” emphasising Caricom’s strong stance on reparations and asserting that there should be no room for imperial arrogance at the meeting.
“The status quo always seeks to protect itself and ensure its continued existence. Members of Caricom are clear-eyed on the importance of advancing the reparations agenda at all appropriate fora. And where better than in the Commonwealth system, which shares common ties and a history significantly derived from that same legacy.
“It makes a big difference when standing on the side of truth,” he said.