Land titles handed over to Rastafari community in Coral Gardens redress effort

The Government has handed over land titles to the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, as restitution by the State for the 1963 Coral Gardens incident in St James involving the Rastafari community.

The event was held on Good Friday on the plots of land in Albion, St James, for which the titles have now been formally transferred.

The documents were presented by Dr Horace Chang, the deputy prime minister and minister of national security and peace.

Chang, who is also the St James North Western Member of Parliament, was joined by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, during the annual Commemorative Anniversary of the Coral Gardens Atrocity Against Rastafari.

A 2015 report by the Office of the Public Defender found gross breaches of constitutional rights arising from the April 1963 Coral Gardens incident where police killed, tortured, and detained Rastafarians. The report led to a 2017 formal government apology, a trust fund for survivors, and the protection of Pinnacle as a heritage site

In his address on Friday, Chang explained that the titles for Lots 84A and 84B confer full legal ownership to the benevolent society, thereby securing Rastafarians’ right to occupy, manage, and develop the property as they deem appropriate.

He noted that the land is intended to serve as a safe, structured space for Rastafari elders, thoughtfully tailored to meet the cultural and social needs of the community.

“This is a step forward. We’re not forgetting history… we’re not rewriting the history. Indeed, we have to know history… but move on as well and build on it to another level. That’s what we’re doing… by providing these [land titles],” Dr. Chang outlined.

He credited the leadership of the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society for sustaining the push for justice over the years, recognising members, Lewis Brown (Ras Brown) for his advocacy and organisational leadership, as well as Pamela Rowe-Williams (Sistha Nanny) for her steadfast communication and unwavering focus on the group’s objectives.

The minister also highlighted the critical role of the National Land Agency in ensuring that the legal processes were properly completed, thereby making the transfer secure and sustainable, adding “we look forward to working more with the RCGBS community.”

For her part, Minister Grange noted that the occasion reflected a growing understanding as the Government continues to address the concerns of the Rastafari community.

She further indicated that more than $130 million has already been disbursed to the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society Trust Fund for survivors over the years, with an additional $12 million recently deposited.

Grange advised that the administration has been providing continuous financial support for the Rastafari elders’ home in Norwood, pending the establishment of a permanent facility designed to meet the community’s specific cultural and dietary needs.

“So, I want to say… that, finally, the land titles were transferred in the name of the RCGBS, and it is our pleasure to do the handover,” she stated.

Grange described the undertaking as a major milestone in a process that began in 2017, when Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, issued a formal apology on behalf of the State and committed to a programme of reparations and restoration for the Rastafari community.

She noted that the initiative, led by her Ministry, focused on addressing the longstanding effects of the Coral Gardens incident through financial support, institutional recognition, and tangible restitution.

Brown, speaking on behalf of the community, reflected on decades of advocacy that followed the Coral Gardens events—from elders giving public testimony about the brutalities they endured, to the formation of a legally recognised benevolent society, and ultimately to high-level talks at Jamaica House.

He expressed gratitude to Chang for guiding the community through the legal requirements and for championing their 13-point list of recommendations to the Government.

- JIS News contributed to this article

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