Member of Parliament for Northern Trelawny, Dr. Patrick Harris, wants the issue of reparation to be part of the national agenda and focus.

Dr. Harris was making his contribution just over a week ago to a debate on a private member's motion on reparation, brought to the House by Central Clarendon MP, Mike Henry.

"Reparation cannot be about any segment of our population. It has to be about a people and if there are any benefits, it cannot be to any individual, it has to be to a whole people," he stated.

The motion called for the Parliament to develop a common position on the impact of slavery and the matter of reparation for the countries of the "displaced descendants of slavery".

According to Dr. Harris, reparation involved a combination of moral, economic, and social issues.

"No money on earth could compensate our forefathers for the degradation and the human suffering they went through," said Dr. Harris adding that as part of the truth and reconciliation process, reparation offers all of us the platform to reserve long-standing issues.

Dr. Harris noted that while many arguments were being put forward in support of reparation, the most convincing of them must be the economic aspect.

"Slavery has become recognised as one of the worst crimes committed throughout the course of human history. Historically, slavery was viewed as a means to achieve cheap labour to enhance development at the cheapest possible cost," he said.

The Member of Parliament also noted that countries adversely affected by slavery should establish a campaign to inform the public about its negative effects.

"Until Africans and the African Diaspora can all invest our resources to combat the negative effects of slavery, we would not have done our ancestors any justice. We need to resolve the issues over slavery as we all owe it to those who came before us and especially to those who will follow us," said Dr. Harris.