Land must become more accessible to Jamaicans, says PJ Patterson Institute in Emancipation message

The PJ Patterson Institute for Africa Caribbean Advocacy is urging the region to continue the unfinished work of emancipation, emphasizing the critical need for broader land accessibility and economic opportunity for Jamaicans. In its Emancipation Day message, the institute highlighted that despite significant achievements in political and civil rights since the end of slavery, equitable access to land and the ability to build wealth continue to elude many Caribbean people.

"Land ownership remains beyond the reach of too many families, and our region continues to face persistent challenges in building productive, self-sustaining economies," the institute stated. It pointed to this persistent challenge as a primary reason why "millions of Caribbean people have chosen to migrate to the North, where these ideals have been more achievable."

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Land ownership remains beyond the reach of too many families, and our region continues to face persistent challenges in building productive, self-sustaining economies. This is partly why millions of Caribbean people have chosen to migrate to the North, where these ideals have been more achievable.

The institute's message, commemorating 188 years since full emancipation in the British West Indies following the Emancipation Act of 1834, honors the resilience of ancestors who endured chattel slavery. It acknowledges the progress made in the English-speaking Caribbean, including the rise of descendants of the enslaved to lead independent nations and enrich the world through culture, sports, scholarship, music, and the arts.

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emancipation remains an unfinished journey.

However, the institute stressed that "emancipation remains an unfinished journey." It referenced historical figures like The Right Excellent George William Gordon, who lamented the poverty of the newly freed population, and The Right Excellent Paul Bogle, who marched for justice, dignity, equality, and opportunity. Their struggles underscore that freedom was intended to secure conditions for a dignified and prosperous life, not merely the absence of slavery.

Therefore, the institute advocates for emancipation to extend beyond political freedom and civil rights to encompass economic empowerment, equitable land access, productive enterprise, and the opportunity for every citizen to build wealth and contribute meaningfully to national development. The current situation, where land ownership is out of reach for many and economic self-sufficiency remains a challenge, continues to fuel migration from the region.

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freedom was never intended to mean just mean the absence of slavery; it was also meant to secure the conditions for a dignified and prosperous life.