By R.D. Miller

Soon after George
Floyd, an African American was killed during an encounter with
members of the Minneapolis, Minnesota, police department; a global
social consciousness emerged with immense demonstration some of which
turned violent calling for broad reversal of laws and practices that
many deemed socially and economically devastated local communities of
colour for decades.

This global
reckoning on race relations and deep nationalized discriminatory
business practices have seen sea changes despite previous resistance.
Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s Rice and Mrs Butterworth brand decided to
change its logo from 130 years that many argued were a racial
stereotype of blacks.  The domino effect has also seen other
businesses once benefited from discriminatory practices dated back to
the slave ships have accepted symbolic gestures to confront its past.

Though the Caribbean
islands received its hints from the international media and struck
courage, it was a step in the precise direction. However, it is more
complex than good feeling to eradicate 400-years of the colonial
chain, laws and mental debris for equity that has been hitting these
disadvantaged communities like a destructive hurricane recklessly
causing administrative, economic, and social barriers to upward
mobility.

Based on historians;
the Caribbean islands fell under the ruling of a European nation;
British, Dutch, and French. Additionally, Denmark, Portugal, and
Sweden formerly occupied territories in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean tragic
colonial history that has apprised us today, cannot be eradicated
with a rope, stones, or fire as seen elsewhere pulling down historic
generals or former slave owners statues; or call for the resignation
of local managers who typically operate businesses in the region once
benefited from these ships with tweets, high anger, and low action.

Economic and social
transformation and as it sits now, me too moment is an uphill to
climb for the region. Sadly, some leaders cannot even decide if or
where to hold a protest, whom, what structure to move to steer this
vessel for critical change.

Me-too is not
resettlement, re-distribution of land to the poor owned by elected
officials, or the top one percent of the rich, removal of colonial
images from a local church window, lower interest rates on predatory
loans, reduction in violent crimes or political alliance. Simply put,
any reconciliation is not going to be based on skin colour, it is how
much pie one can keep for his social class.

Furthermore, if many
of today’s buildings, contracts, ports, and manufacturing have long
been sold to foreign investors, which will sit at the table me-too
may not represent the downtrodden.

Though these islands
remain a place to forget your overdue bills and any other issues
merely temporarily, the reality is that; some share the identical
point of origin, bear a resemblance to you, but until now have the
bourgeoisie conscious colonial mentality. And conveniently will yield
power, overlook poverty once able to slightly move their necks
economically, and considered a success.

Essentially, several
wealthy islanders who have obtained an academic opportunity can now
pay their way into that upper crowd will feast, dance, have business
dealings still struggles to address an institutionalized class and
racial system.

Subsequently, where
does the Caribbean start for social and economic justice for
Afro-Caribbean and ethnic minorities? The lack of a protest does not
mean that there is not one brewing internal each day.

The region’s
shorelines forever roar with a dark cloud after Europeans decided
that they wanted to establish their economy and Africa was the place
they went and eagerly snatched people of colour, filled several ships
without reservation. And since innocent people of colour did not have
a personal reservation, stringent rules and penal laws were created
that transcends into systematic institutional racism today.

Today’s global
racial equity call is not like recent women’s me-too when they came
forward and spoke up about their experience of improper and
inappropriate widespread sexual advances, harassment, and rape by
powerful men and action was quick.

Colonial occupation
has established a legacy where only a new economic reconciliation
path for all will establish the first step. Some argued perhaps
eliminating several debts for may Caribbean islands, but a mental
rehabilitation from slavery despite independence remains a drain.

The debt burden
undoubtedly remains a national debate to develop a new economic road
map, but can they all afford to protest earnestly for fundamental
change; and how do you bite off the nervous hands that are merely
sustaining you?

If the Caribbean me
too solution is “possible reparation” or a unilateral economic
package for better schools, education, adequate healthcare,
infrastructure, and new manufacturing.

This approach is an
excellent wave, but if local reports still highlighting ongoing
corruption even mismanagement of COVID-19 funds, where not everyone
can agree on if it is going to rain, generates more questions on how
to manage any potential reparation. I scarcely believe will amount a
self-governing gesture on paper like the independence doctrine.

And how does one
support the casting of a new fishing net, when you have a judiciary
system with holes on basic democracy and cultural tolerance for all?
One must step back and rigorously evaluate that, “Out of Many One
People.”

Recently the
Jamaican Supreme Court ruled that a student could not attend classes
if she didn’t cut her dreadlocks and the school did not infringe on
the child’s constitutional rights. This ruling confirms that
Rastafarianism, typically remains a social outcast based old colonial
ideal, and this culture should only be practiced behind closed doors.

Undoubtedly, the
Caribbean continues to anxiously search for its soul, and if one’s
hair was no longer acceptable in the local school, what next, Rasta
only bathroom, bus, dining area, etc. The styling of one’s culture
may explain the abundance of bleaching cream being bought in the
region for acceptance by many.

The ruling describes
a considerably complex broader story emerged recently of British
insignia, a medal that is worn by the heads of state, the
governor-general of Jamaica that depicted a Caucasian person on the
neck of a black person. Though dehumanizing, how do you draw a
balance if laws carries similar weight on its people.

History has gently
told us, between 1788 and 1838 workhouses in Jamaica the most
significant British West Indian colony was marginalized in conditions
encountered by most of its population that impacted local industries,
like finance and manufacturing.

The Caribbean may
have passed its hostility tone since those cultural prohibitions of
black settlement in some areas to interracial sex, part of the
rampant racial discrimination known as the colour bar that has
severely constrained its unique culture and economic growth, but it
still reverberates today globally.

Today, dark-skinned
experience faces steeper mobility locally subsequently carries
forward even in more recent free migration elsewhere.

Slavery divided the
region on different plantations that established a protectionist and
competitive system subconsciously or not. Today, islanders are free
from the sugar canes and coffee fields to travel between islands, but
by all accounts, some continue to traditionally see other islands as
you over there, and if some could erect a wall they would.

A notable example:
since COVID-19 and its impact on sustainable tourism, it only exposes
the Caribbean lack of collaboration as these island stances regarding
which one has a firmer grip on the pandemic for the next terrorist
dollar.  Quite frankly, in my humble option, it will come down
to who tells the truth on the number infected, fatality and actual
cause, rather than who, essentially delivered it there.

Most importantly if
me-too-fails, the ability to travel to other islands for accurate
diagnosis and critical medical care rather than waiting eagerly for
weeks on a piece of equipment for surgery or test results that could
have saved lives.

And if the arid
region conveniently overlooks this pivotal moment for upward mobility
and though I maybe sometimes critical of violent crime and local
leadership, I am genuinely terrified they all are naturally wearing
the official insignia, and me-too represent just a thought.

R.D. Miller has
been a member of the criminal justice field for over 15 years. He
holds an MBA and a M.S. in criminal justice and leadership.