RCGBS
Rastafari Coral Garden Benevolent society
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As a result of the acts of a few persons in CORAL GARDENS in April 1963, the entire Rastafari community was targeted by the State of Jamaica. This led to extreme brutality, imprisonment and the murder of many Rastafari adherents across Jamaica by the police, army and other citizens of Jamaica. Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society (RCGBS) became a legal entity on April 23, 2015. Over the years, RCGBS has demanded that the Government of Jamaica pay compensation and make other reparations to the individual victims and the Rastafari community for the Coral Gardens atrocities. Membership of RCGBS is open to Rastafari
adherents and persons of Pan-African orientation aged eighteen years and over. A Committee of Management of eleven (11) persons is elected to manage the affairs of the Benevolent Society by the general membership at Annual General Meetings.
In June 2016, representatives of RCGBS met with a special committee of Cabinet and gave them a thirteen-point recommendation for compensation to be paid to the survivors of the 1963 Coral Gardens atrocities and reparations to the wider Rastafari community.
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This list of recommendations which is summarized below, formed the basis on
which we negotiate with the government:
1. The State should apologize to the survivors for the atrocities of 1963.
2. Free health care for survivors.
3. Cash compensation to victims and their families.
4. State and societal prejudices, discrimination and harassment of the members of the Rastafari community, especially by the police, must stop.
5. Government should assist the Rastafari community to develop a
Monument/Museum in the Coral Gardens area of St James to be a location for the commemoration of the atrocities.
6. The land allocated for the museum may be held in trust and its operation supervised by members of the Rastafari community.
7. A total of 300 acres of land should be allocated to the Rastafari community island-wide.
8. Each parish in Jamaica should be allocated three scholarships in respect of primary, secondary and tertiary education, annually for the children of Rastafarians.
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9. The Ministry of Education should create a Policy document that addresses the issue of religious discrimination in all schools, especially against the Rastafari, including in relation to the wearing of dreadlocks, vaccinations, religious education and holidays. The Ministry of Labour should create a Policy document that addresses the issue of employment discrimination against the Rastafari at the workplace. Places of work should respect and stop discriminating against Rastafari and allow members of the community to wear dreadlocks and beards at work. Prejudices and discrimination against Rastafari in the workplace should be addressed. Rastafari holidays should be recognized by the State and employers.
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10. Tolerance of all faith-based communities should be ensured by the State. All faith-based communities including the Rastafari community should be treated equally by the State.
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11. The State should assist the Rastafari community to document, preserve, protect and promote its own authentic Rastafari history, knowledge and culture.
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12. The Ministry of Justice should review and repeal all discriminatory laws that are inconsistent with the rights of the Rastafari community.
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13. The Government should assist members of the Rastafari community who want to repatriate to an African State of their choice. Assistance should be, but not limited to, defraying the cost of travel and resettlement in an African State that is willing to accept members of the Rastafari community.
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE
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1. On April 04, 2017, Prime Minister Andrew Holness gave an apology in Parliament.
2. In December 2019 a Trust Fund was established for the benefit of survivors. So far, one hundred twelve million dollars ($112 million) have been deposited in the Trust Fund. Disbursements are made directly to survivors on a monthly basis.
3. In March 2021, an eldercare facility was opened for the benefit of those survivors who do not have caregivers. All expenses for the operation of the facility are covered by the government. The next stage of our agitation has been to demand reparation on behalf of the wider Rastafari community as a collective.
COMMUNITY REPARATIONS
The Public Defender made the following recommendations for community compensation:
1. Urgent consideration should be given by the State for the acquisition of
Outameni Property in Trelawny with a view to allocating a portion thereof to the
Rastafarian community for the establishment of a cultural center specifically for
the preservation of Rastafari culture.
2. The State provides financial, technical and legal resources to the Rastafari
community for the purpose of organizing a co-operative society exclusively for the
benefit of Rastafarians. The State should consider the granting of a license to the co-operative society for growing of ganja.
There is overwhelming support for these two recommendations among members of our community. Over the years, countless members of the Rastafari community have been criminalized for their use of ganja so a ganja license would be a just path to reparation.
GOVERNMENT OFFER
On July 3, 2018, Minister Grange announced the following offer in Parliament:
1. Fifty acres of land to be used for agricultural purposes
2. Two adjacent lots of land in Albion St. James for a permanent eldercare facility
3. Three scholarships to children of the Rastafari community.
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To date, none of these promises have been fulfilled!
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Recommendations to address Institutional Discrimination.
While there is no written policy to pursue discriminatory practices against members of the Rastafari community, officers in their bureaucratic positions continue the practice of exclusion based on the socialization and conditioning to which they have been exposed in the Jamaican society. This was highlighted in 2020 when a school refused to accept a student wearing locks and the Supreme Court judges ruled in support of the school. In addition, some places of work continue to discriminate against the wearing of locks and beards using the excuse of “proper grooming”.
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RCGBS is insisting that the State undertakes the actions in the 1recommendations which state the following:
1. The Ministry of Education should create a Policy document that addresses the
issue of religious discrimination in all schools, especially against the Rastafari,
including in relation to the wearing of dreadlocks, vaccinations, religious education and holidays. The issue of vaccinations is particularly relevant at this time.
· The Ministry of Labour should create a Policy document that addresses the issue
of employment discrimination against the Rastafari at the workplace. Places of
work should respect and stop discriminating against Rastafari and allow members
of the community to wear dreadlocks and beards at work.
Sanctions must be applied if there are breaches of the stated policies. RCGBS recommends that the State strengthens the Office of the Public Defender with the authority to investigate complaints and bring charges against perpetrators.
We thank the government for what it has done so far and urge them to seriously consider the recommendations for community reparations mentioned above as they represent minimal cost to the public purse. A policy of inclusion, rather than exclusion will redirect efforts of resistance into productive energies.
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BAD FRIDAY & RCGBS In The News - Articles and Video
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The 1963 Coral Gardens massacre where Jamaican police brutalized Rastas over land
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Government says sorry for 1963 Coral Gardens massacre | New
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Culture Ministry adds $78 million to Coral Gardens Trust Fund
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Grange assures Coral Gardens Rastas land transfer will be done