Barbados halts plan to acquire land from UK descendant of slavers

 

The Barbados government has put the brakes on plans to acquire 50 acres of land in St. George, owned by the UK based Drax family, which was earmarked for housing.

 

This was revealed by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, as debate rages about expected reparation from the family that has owned the Drax Hall estate for centuries, going back to the period of enslavement.

 

There have been expressions of outrage in Barbados and elsewhere within the Caribbean Reparations Movement, in response to the idea that the UK based heirs to the property should be paid for it by the Barbadian people.

 

While halting the purchase, Prime Minister Mottley said the government is duty-bound to pay for land that is the subject of compulsory acquisition.

 

She added that Barbadians who are in need of shelter should not be denied housing. 

 

"Drax Hall is one of those few ones that we can actually trace the chain of custody back to the 17th century. And to that extent, the government has expressed itself as wanting to be able to find a settlement that would be just for the people of St. George and the people of Barbados. Given the conversation, I believe that it is appropriate for us to pause the acquisition, to allow for greater conversation to take place, and also for us to be able to see where we are in terms of being able to get some kind of reasonable settlement with Mr. Drax, recognising that in our conversations, without prejudice to anything else, he is aware that the government of Barbados feels strongly about this and will pursue these matters," the Prime Minister said.