UWI and University of Glasgow working through MOU built upon principle of ‘reparatory justice’

The University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom and the University of the West Indies are working through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) built upon the principle of “reparatory justice”.

This was disclosed by Vice Chancellor of The UWI, Sir Hilary Beckles during a recent interview on the Jamaica News Network (JNN) programme – Insight.

Beckles, who recently returned from the UK said the University of Glasgow recognized that Jamaican slave owners had adopted the University of Glasgow as their university of choice.

He said while in the UK the Vice Chancellor of the UK-based university Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli opened up their records, which showed a ‘massive influx’ of grants and endowments from Jamaica.

He added the University of Glasgow and UWI are currently drafting a memorandum of understanding, and the term ‘reparatory justice’ is expected to be included.

“We are not on the street corners asking for handouts. We are looking for partnerships and development.”

One of the projects in which the University of Glasgow has reportedly shown interest involves research in chronic diseases in the Caribbean, including hypertension, diabetes, and childhood obesity.

“They are looking at the possibility of partnering with us and having a massive institute for chronic disease research that is going to prevent the proliferation of these diseases in the future,” said Beckles.

A report dubbed Slavery, Abolition and the University of Glasgow, published recently by the university, reveals that it benefited directly from the slave trade in Africa and the Caribbean in the 18th and 19th centuries to the tune of almost £200 million in today’s money.

The university has announced that it has launched a wide-ranging and ambitious “reparative justice programme” that is based on the findings of more than two years of research.

In addition, the University of Glasgow had also announced that it intends to implement programmes and projects that will provide scholarships and exchange programmes for Jamaican and other Caribbean students through its links with The UWI.

• Correction – An earlier version of this article said the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom has agreed to pay £200 million in reparation payments to the University of the West Indies. This is not correct. The universities are working through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) built upon the principle of “reparatory justice”, but there is no “agreement” about the repayment of £200 million to The UWI. In good faith the two universities, ever since the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, indicated that his university seeks to be excellent and ethical, have had excellent conversations about how the University of Glasgow can contribute to cleaning up the colonial legacies of slavery that are holding back the region. A working team has been established, which has made many reparatory justice submissions, but is yet to complete its deliberations.