Diandra Grandison, Staff Reporter

There have been mixed reactions among Jamaicans after news broke that Jamaica and 13 other CARICOM member states are planning to take legal action against three former European colonisers for slavery reparations.

The CARICOM states include 12 former British colonies, former Dutch colony Suriname and former French colony, Haiti.

In July, the 14 countries came together and created the 'National Reparations Committee' and are planning to sue Britain, Holland and France for the 'atrocities of slavery.'

But many Jamaicans think that the chair of the Jamaica Reparations Committee, Dr Verene Shepherd-led initiative will prove futile.

"Reparations won't help nothing, cause the poor people won't get anything out of it. The politicians will still end up taking all the money for themselves and their friends, just like how they rob up every other money they get to give to poor people," 34-year-old Orville told THE WEEKEND STAR.

While 18-year-old Shevel expressed, "I don't think it's necessary, especially since it's monetary compensation, plus people who had to endure slavery dead and gone and they were the ones who truly deserve it."

Some Jamaicans feel that now is not the time for such a request as there are more pressing issues like the state of the economy."

"To me it's foolishness, waste of time and resources. Jamaica especially need to focus on how to fix our economy," 23-year-old Melissa stated.

For 25-year-old Jerome, filing a lawsuit for reparation is merely a distraction from other serious issues. He told THE Weekend STAR, "Everyone is ensuring they don't pay attention to the real matter at hand, like our failing economy and instead distracting ourselves with pettiness that will solve nothing. Focusing on slavery wrongs will get us nowhere; we need to just move on."

But despite the cynical reactions by some, others are lauding the CARICOM states for their efforts.

"I give full support of the movement, our fore-parents had endured extreme suffering and I don't think there's even a price they can offer to repay us back for all that," 28-year-old Capone expressed.

While 30-year-old Damian stated, "Is a good ting dem doing, is long time dem fi pay we fi wat dem do to our forefathers."

In a bid to win their lawsuit, the National Reparations Committee recently retained the services of British law firm Leigh Day.

Though it has not been revealed how much money the Committee intends to sue for reparation, the British law firm recently won 20 million pounds in compensation for Kenyans who were tortured by the British colonial government during the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s.