Grenada fund shows how one family handled colonial debt
The Trevelyan family’s £100,000 pledge and ongoing bursaries provide a concrete model for reparations as Caribbean leaders gather for a summit in Antigua and Barbuda.
By Anthony Lawson ·
A private family pledge in Grenada is drawing attention from Caribbean reparations advocates seeking a practical model for colonial redress.
In 2023, British journalist Laura Trevelyan traveled to Grenada to apologize for her family’s role in colonial slavery. She pledged £100,000, equivalent to $134,000, toward education on the island. Trevelyan, a former BBC correspondent, said her ancestors owned plantations in Grenada. Her family researched their history with local historians and reparations advocates before she made the public apology.
The Trevelyan fund has since helped more than 50 students in Grenada through bursaries and scholarships, according to the Grenada National Reparations Committee. Nicole Philip, vice-chair of that committee, used the family’s actions to question why larger entities have not followed suit. "If a family can come forward, apologize, and make reparations payments, why not the British government?" Philip asked. She also asked why the royal family has not taken similar steps.
Commonwealth leaders are gathering in Antigua and Barbuda this week for a summit focused on slavery and reparatory justice. Caribbean governments are pressing former colonial powers to engage more directly with the issue. King Charles is expected to deliver a speech on Tuesday. He has repeatedly expressed sorrow for slavery in past addresses.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is attending the summit. In a column published in the Guardian on Saturday, Burnham stated that he was open to making a formal apology. However, he argued that British people today should not be held liable for historical wrongs committed under different laws. He also announced a new drive on debt to help vulnerable countries repay loans over longer periods with better rates.
Trevelyan told Reuters that she hopes the British government and royal family will move beyond acknowledging the horrors of slavery. She suggested they form partnerships to address current legacies, such as the need for climate-resilient infrastructure in the Caribbean. "Isn't this something Britain's government could help with as a way of repaying the debt from the period of slavery?" she asked.
Historical data indicates the scale of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. From the 15th to the 19th century, millions of Africans were sold into slavery by European traders. Britain transported an estimated 3.2 million people across the Atlantic, according to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database. Campaigners argue that reparations should include assistance in education, healthcare, and development finance, not just monetary payments.
