Grenada demands Bank of England pay slavery reparations

Grenada has demanded that the Bank of England pay slavery reparations for its ownership of plantations. The government of the Caribbean nation has delivered a letter to Andrew Bailey, the Bank’s governor, calling on the institution to atone for its “enslavement of Africans”. Grenada’s cabinet has insisted that the Bank of England begin negotiating reparations for its involvement in the “atrocious” slave trade. The Bank owned two plantations and almost 600 slaves on the island in the 18th century. The appeal to the Bank comes as former Caribbean colonies aim to pivot to seeking reparations from institutions involved in slavery, rather than the UK Government, which has refused to make payments. A letter received by Mr Bailey and seen by The Telegraph states: “The Government of Grenada calls upon the Bank of England to make Reparations to Grenada on account of the direct involvement of the Bank of England in the 1780s in the enslavement of Africans and their descendants in Grenada.” ‘Immeasurable suffering’  It continues, stating that “the enslavement of Africans in Caribbean colonies including Grenada was atrocious”, adding: “The work regime, punishments inflicted both physically and psychologically, and the immeasurable suffering endured have multiplier effects on our current...