KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security and Peace, Dr. Horace Chang, on Friday formally handed over land titles to the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society (RCGBS), as restitution by the State for the 1963 Coral Gardens incident in the western parish of St. James involving the Rastafari community.
He was joined by Minister of Culture, Olivia Grange, during the annual Commemorative Anniversary of the Coral Gardens Atrocity Against Rastafari, held on the plots of land in Albion, St. James, for which the titles have now been formally transferred.
In his address, Chang, who is the Member of Parliament for St. James North Western, explained that the titles confer full legal ownership of the property to the RCGBS, thereby securing Rastafarians’ right to occupy, manage, and develop the property as they deem appropriate.
He noted that the land is intended to serve as a safe, structured space for Rastafari elders, thoughtfully designed to meet the community’s cultural and social needs.
“This is a step forward. We’re not forgetting history, we’re not rewriting history. Indeed, we have to know history, but we also have to move on and build on it to a higher level. That’s what we’re doing, by providing these [land titles],” Chang said.
He credited the RCGBS leadership for sustaining the push for justice over the years. He highlighted the role of the National Land Agency (NLA) in ensuring that the legal processes were properly completed.
For her part, Grange noted that the occasion reflected a growing understanding as the Government continues to address the concerns of the Rastafari community.
Grange described the undertaking as a major milestone in a process that began in 2017, when Prime Minister Andrew Holness issued a formal apology on behalf of the State and committed to a program of reparations and restoration for the Rastafari community.
She noted that the initiative, led by her Ministry, focused on addressing the longstanding effects of the Coral Gardens incident through financial support, institutional recognition, and tangible restitution.
The Coral Gardens incident refers to a series of events that occurred from April 11-13, 1963, in the farming community of Coral Gardens, located east of the city of Montego Bay.
Following a violent altercation at a gas station, the police and military forces detained Rastafarians, killing and torturing many.
This blot on the history of Rastafarianism eventually led to Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I’s historic state visit to Jamaica on April 21, 1966.
In April 2017, following a legal investigation, the Government issued an official apology and condemned its own actions in the incident. It also established a trust fund to aid survivors harmed in the incident.
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