CARICOM has endorsed a Ten Point Action Plan for Reparatory Justice, submitted by its Commission. It's a plan which says that the legacies of slavery, and the enduring elements of colonialism, constitute the greatest single drag upon the development efforts of citizens." (Excerpt from December 10, 2014 address delivered by Professor Sir Hiliary Beckles at the General Assembly of the United Nations).
Professor Sir Hiliary Beckles is the current vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Committee. One wonders if there might be some conflict of interest because his knighthood (Knight or Dame of St Andrew) was given by the former... coloniser (Britain).
These enduring elements of colonialism exist within most governments, the legal system, and the major institution of higher learning and thought, The University of The West Indies.
The university has what is referred to as the visitor, and this visitor of the UWI is none other than Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. A visitor is an overseer of an autonomous church or charitable institution, who can intervene in the internal affairs of that institution. Within academic institutions, the visitor determines disputes arising between the institution and its members. It is the right of the visitor, and not the courts, to adjudge on alleged deviations from the statutes of academic institutions.
Because of the visitorial jurisdiction, if any injustices are metered out to staff and students, they will be unable to seek redress at the law courts without first engaging the Queen of England.
Registrar of the University, William Iton, and other officials of the UWI should be commended for the latest push to have the university independent of the British Queen. This would give students and staff who have conflicts of interest with the institution recourse to justice.
The Privy Council has exited stage left in Barbados, Guyana, Dominica, and Belize since its jurisdiction was removed from these states. Will removing the Governor General, and perhaps the West Minister system be the next step in the effort to remove the remaining vestiges of colonialism?
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