The Editor, Sir:

At first, I thought Professor Nettleford's idea was a good one, until I read Mrs. Gloudon's piece entitled 'Sorry can't boil cow skin', regarding the apology of Prime Minister Blair for the British involvement in slavery. I think the idea that either an apology, however sincere, or any amount of money can make us whole, is somewhat repulsive to blood, sweat and tears of our past, and the post-emancipation psychosis we suffer today. As Professor Nettleford himself has taught us over the decades, the worst of the slavery was the mental slavery, echoing Marcus Garvey, from which we are yet to completely extricate ourselves.

An apology or an ample oblation would, I think, purify the offender rather than the offended. This is the opportunity that Professor Nettleford is attempting to afford the British Prime Minister. For we can only purge ourselves of slavery's remnants for ourselves and by ourselves. "None but ourselves can free our mind." We should start by forgiving those who trespassed against us as the only possible first step in the struggle to overcome the scars.

I believe that we are well on the way, a few bumps and bruises here and there, but we are on our way. It will take time, a long time - like boiling cow skin in the old days. For that we need to have our own that we have earned and created, not what we have begged, or what has been gratuitously bestowed. A gift, as proposed by Professor Nettleford, would be worthy and should be graciously accepted if given, but let us not lose sight of its significance.

I am, etc.,

LEIGHTON M. JACKSON

ljackson@uwichill.edu.bb

Faculty of Law

University of the West Indies

Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

Via Go-Jamaica