On Friday (August 25), the family of a 19th-century Scottish slaveowner in Guyana apologized on behalf of their ancestor. But the apology didn’t just come from any old slaveholder’s loin fruit — it came from the mouth of a descendent of a former British head-of-state.
Charles Gladstone is the great-great grandson of William Gladstone, who was the British prime minister from 1868 until 1894. William Gladstone’s father, John, was considered one of the largest slaveowners and human traffickers between Great Britain and the Caribbean, and the money he earned helped his son get started in politics.
The Gladstones of today went to Guyana with a formal apology telling at gathering at the University of Guyana, “It is with deep shame and regret that we acknowledge our ancestors’ involvement in this crime and with heartfelt sincerity, we apologize to the descendants of the enslaved in Guyana. In doing so, we acknowledge slavery’s continuing impact on the daily lives of many.”
Yeah, sure. But what about that bag? UK news outlet The Guardian reported that by some estimates, Great Britain owed descendants of former enslaved people in Guyana pretty much all the money:
Eric Phillips, a member of the Caricom reparations commission, said research showed Britain owed the descendants of Africans in Guyana more than $1.2tn (£950bn).
Charles Gladstone told AFP that while he could not comment on any specific figure, the UK and governments in Europe may be “frightened of the amount”.
As they should be. But hey, if you think that’s scary, try being forcibly removed from your continent, sold and shipped like cargo, forced into unpaid labor, tortured, raped and stripped of your entire identity.
During his speech, Gladstone shared that his family has plans on starting a fund for several projects in the country to help facilitate a “meaningful and long-term relationship between our family and the people of Guyana.”
“In writing this heartfelt apology, we also acknowledge Sir John Gladstone’s role in bringing indentured laborers to Guyana, and apologize for the clear and manifold injustices of this,” he remarked. One day prior to Gladstone’s visit, Guyana President Irfaan Ali called for reparations and condemned descendants of European slave owners.
John Gladstone was the father of 19th-century British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, and the recipient of more than 100,000 pounds in exchange for hundreds of slaves. However, Ali nor any other senior government officials were present for Gladstone’s speech. The crowd consisted of a students, university employees and grassroots organizations.
Protestors stood outside the auditorium where Gladstone spoke, with several of them calling Gladstone and his family “murderers.” Some also held signs that said “The Gladstones are murderers” and “Stolen people, stolen dreams.” Cedric Castellow, who led the protest, called the apology “perfunctory.”
“The British government and others benefited from the slave trade, their descendants and heirs,” Castellow stated. “They owe us, and the legacy will affect future generations as well.” Castellow is right—apologies are worthless if they aren’t attached to the billions in reparations owed to Caribbean countries.