Skerritt

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has called on Europe to apologise for slavery as Dominica held a series of activities yesterday to observe the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade.

"Europe has apologised to several other people around the world, so why can't they apologise to us?" Skerrit questioned.

He said Dominicans concur with the views expressed by the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who called for an official apology from Britain at a recent Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

"They have a moral and ethical responsibility to live up to the expectation of the rest of the world and the several million people who were affected by this unfortunate slave trade," Skerrit added.

The Prime Minister said an apology would allow Europe and all those affected by the slave trade to close the chapter on the human tragedy which saw millions of people plucked from Africa and brought to the Americas where they worked on large agricultural plantations.

"The European governments should say 'what happened was unfortunate and we really apologise for the situation' and let's move on," he said.