Coral Gardens survivors getting impatient

11:14 am, Wed June 19, 2019

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Lewis Brown, Treasurer of the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society; Walter Brissett, a survivor of the Coral Gardens incident; Natassia Robinson, attorney for JFJ

Frustration is building among the survivors of state abuse in the 1963 Coral Gardens incident about the delay in receiving compensation.

The incident involved a massive state crackdown against Rastafarians which led to eight persons being killed, hundreds injured and imprisoned by the police in the St James community.

The group is appealing to the Prime Minister to release the Public Defender's social inquiry report containing the account of the survivors.

In April, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), which represents the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, told the group that the Public Defender's report had been submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister.

JFJ maintains that the report is crucial to the disbursement of the compensation.

So far $13 million has been placed in a trust fund.

Lewis Brown, Treasurer of the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, told RJR News on Tuesday that no further information has been forthcoming, even as members of his group continue to age and suffer ill health.

“They need nourishment, and a lot of their kids and relatives have left them and no form of attention at all has (been) paid to them,” he said.

It was therefore very important for the Prime Minister “to release this report that we can know what is in the report and what type of recompense the Public Defender says that they should get.”

Following the review of the Public Defender's report by the Office of the Prime Minister, it is to be submitted to the Minister of Culture who has reportedly agreed to release it to JFJ.

Mr. Lewis said there are now 40 survivors of the Coral Gardens incident out of more than 100.

One the survivors, 84 year old Walter Brissett, was sorrowful that so many of those affected have died.

"Today is 56 year, two month, eight days, no comment coming from no one. They treat us like animals. We tired a dem now," he lamented.

JFJ attorney Natassia Robinson has said she is still awaiting a copy of the Public Defender's report on the Coral Gardens incident.

Ms Robinson told RJR News Wednesday morning that apart from the report assisting in the disbursement of the money in the Trust Fund, it will also assist in informing how much money should be placed in the Fund.

"There's a discrepancy as to how much is to be in the fund. On the one hand, there is an understanding that there is supposed to be $30 million per year over the next three years. On the other hand, there is an understanding that there is supposed to be a one-time $30 million or $30 million over three years," she explained.