Descendants of British owner of slaves in Guyana apologize

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The descendants of a 19th-century Scottish sugar and coffee planter who owned thousands of slaves in Guyana apologized Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, for the sins of their ancestor, calling slavery a crime against humanity with lasting negative impacts.

Charles Gladstone, a descendant of former plantation owner John Gladstone, traveled to Guyana from Britain with five relatives to offer the formal apology.

“It is with deep shame and regret that we acknowledge our ancestors’ involvement in this crime and with heartfelt sincerity, we apologize to the descendants of the enslaved in Guyana,” he told an audience at the University of Guyana. “In doing so, we acknowledge slavery’s continuing impact on the daily lives of many.”

Neither Guyana President Irfaan Ali, who on Thursday, Aug. 24, demanded reparations and lashed out at the descendants of European slave traders, nor other senior government officials were in the audience of a couple hundred students, university staff members and representatives of grassroots organizations.

During his speech, Gladstone announced that his family would create a fund for various unnamed projects in the country as part of a “meaningful and long-term relationship between our family and the people of Guyana.”

“In writing this heartfelt apology, we also acknowledge Sir John Gladstone’s role in bringing indentured laborers to Guyana, and apologize for the clear and manifold injustices of this,” he said.

John Gladstone was the father of 19th century British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone and received more than 100,000 pounds in compensation for hundreds of slaves. / AP