The CARICOM Reparations Commission has described the apology issued by Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte for the country’s role in slavery as “historic” and “significant”.However, the Commission’s chairman and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles has called for further reparation negotiations between the Netherlands, CARICOM, Africa and the indigenous Caribbean communities.“This is indeed a historic moment...With this formal apology of the Dutch state and the acknowledgement that the Trans-Atlantic slave trade enchained African bodies and chattel slavery in general, that they represent a crime against humanity and that such a crime must be repaired with specific remedies, this formal apology is significant and we understand it to be a historic moment,” Sir Hilary told a press conference on Wednesday. The media event was called to address Rutte’s apology. On Monday, the Netherlands PM formally apologized on behalf of his government for the country’s role in abetting, preserving and profiting from the slave trade.
