Latest news with #OliviaGrange
The Guardian
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Third Test's day-night format should feel like home turf for Australia in Kingston
It's a strange concept, in a region known for sunshine, to end a Caribbean tour with a day-night Test. It's stranger still to choose Kingston, Jamaica, a venue that until a couple of months ago didn't even have floodlights. Up until two days before the match, there has been local conjecture about whether they would be adequate for the match, with a chance that plans would have to be changed. But one day out, the lights have been announced fit by sports minister Olivia Grange. Putting the pieces together, it's likely related to Jamaica's upcoming election and a sitting government that has worn plenty of whacks for not supporting cricket, having refused to bid for matches at last year's T20 World Cup citing expense. A cricket spectacle might be an attempt to recover some ground. It helps that Mexico, Canada, and the USA have host qualification for next year's football World Cup, opening up a potential spot for Jamaica's Reggae Boyz, who have also used Sabina Park recently. Barbados would have been the natural fit for a nocturnal venue, with its established lighting and its nightlife giving a higher chance of drawing a local crowd. In Jamaica, pessimism about attendance abounds. CWI chief executive, Chris Dehring, was downbeat on regional radio about local sales. The bulk of the Australian tour group members went home after the second Test in Grenada. Half of Sabina Park's seating will be closed to save costs. University students have been promised free entry, while a slate of Caribbean musicians have been hired to perform in the hope that people who wouldn't come for cricket will come for a party. But the bigger discouragement for West Indies as a cricket team might be the format. Yes, they knocked over Australia in a pink-ball match in Brisbane, but their batting having already been shot out inside 35 overs twice in the series by Australia's quicks, and the pink Dukes ball is reportedly doing far more in the nets this week than the pink Kookaburra generally does. West Indies have only hosted one pink-ball match before, Bridgetown in 2018, won after Sri Lanka's quicks ripped up the home side in the third innings for 93. Three of those players survive in the current team, compared to Australia's squad of relative experts. Of 23 day-night Tests around the world so far, the Australians have hosted 13. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon have played every one. With them, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood make up the four highest wicket-takers in the variant format. Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, and the benched Marnus Labuschagne are four of the top five run-scorers. Even accounting for variation in ball and conditions, the format in general will feel more like home turf for the visiting side. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion That said, if the ball does talk then it could make things interesting. Australia's underperforming batting has been bailed out by their bowling in both Tests so far, and a session of carnage in a low-scoring game could throw things open. Khawaja, Sam Konstas and Cameron Green, assuming there are no changes, still need runs. The series may be decided but every Test match counts. For West Indies, the batting plan might shift to one of full-blown attack. After a second embarrassing finish in Grenada, captain Roston Chase spoke of wanting his player to embrace the old idea of 'Calypso cricket', and judging by the nets this week they have taken that to mean smashing the cork out of every possible ball. This way, if they get bowled out in two sessions, they might at least have made a halfway decent score first. If those two sessions happen to be on day one, with the evening session to bowl, it could make things interesting. Or perhaps all the day-night talk will prove to be hype, as we've seen plenty of times before, with the ball settling quickly and the runs racking up. Either way is OK, as long as the lights turn on.
Telegraph
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Jamaica pushes King to back slavery reparations
The Jamaican government has urged the King to support slavery reparations. The Caribbean country is the first to exploit 19th-century colonial legislation to directly petition the monarch, who remains head of state of the island nation, to refer the issue to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The committee is the highest court of appeal for the 15 independent Commonwealth realms which retain the King as their head of state. Jamaica hopes that, after being asked by the King to examine the reparations issue, the committee could then give an opinion on whether Britain has a legal 'obligation' to offer a 'remedy'. Legal experts believe official recognition would 'open the door' to the payments, with campaigners seeking up to £18 trillion. The Telegraph understands that other Caribbean countries which retain the King as head of state could follow Jamaica and pursue the same strategy. Olivia Grange, the Jamaican culture minister, announced the plan this week, telling Parliament: 'We will be submitting a petition to His Majesty King Charles III to refer to the Privy Council a set of questions that we want answered within his current position as head of state of Jamaica.' Derrick McKoy, the attorney general of Jamaica, has been asked by Ms Grange to submit the petition. Members of Caricom, a political grouping of 15 Caribbean states, have long demanded reparation payments from Britain and other colonial powers, including France and the Netherlands. However, the calls have been repeatedly rebuffed by successive UK governments, which have refused to discuss the issue. The latest high-profile attempt was in 2024 when Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, came under pressure from Commonwealth members ahead of a summit in Samoa. Jamaica's new strategy seeks to apply renewed pressure on the UK by exploiting the Judicial Committee Act 1833. Under the legislation, which still applies to Jamaica following independence in 1962, colonies were permitted to petition the monarch on judicial matters and stated that the King could 'refer… any such other matters whatsoever as His Majesty shall think fit'. 'Crime against humanity' Jamaica wants the committee to offer an opinion on whether the slave trade was illegal under British common law at the time it existed, and whether it could now be legally considered a 'crime against humanity'. It is hoped that in answering these questions, the committee could issue advice on whether 'the UK is under an obligation to provide a remedy to the Jamaican people for the unlawful transport and subsequent enslavement of African people'. The petition, officially 'on behalf of the Jamaica people', has been drawn up with the help of attorney and reparations campaigner, Bert Samuels, who said the request would go 'straight to Buckingham Palace'. He explained that if the King sought advice, then: 'The Judicial Committee can then give [an] opinion. You could get an opinion that slavery was indeed a crime against humanity. 'This would open the door for reparations to be paid.' Nicola Diggle, an expert on the Privy Council with London law firm Blake Morgan, said the King would not be obliged to refer the issue, and neither was the committee obligated to offer any advice or opinions on the matter. A palace source said that if the King were to receive such a petition, he would act, as always, on the advice of the relevant authorities. The idea of petitioning the King has been credited to Jamaican lawyer Frank Phipps, who has long worked with Caricom's Reparations Commission. In 2014, the commission unveiled a 10-point plan for reparative justice, including demands for an official apology and financial compensation, and sought advice on how to bring a legal case. The Telegraph revealed in February that Lord Hermer, the current Attorney General, worked on plans to take action against the UK. However, in the end, the case was not pursued. Next week, MPs are due to discuss slavery reparations with a delegation from the Caribbean, led by the Repair Campaign group. Sir Keir and David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, have been made aware of the series of briefings planned in Parliament to drum up support for reparations. Insiders said there had been plans earlier in the year for Mr Lammy to host a 'Caricom forum', which would hear submissions about reparations. However, sources said this was pushed back because of the conflict between Israel and Iran. Campaigners had hoped that Mr Lammy, of Guyanese descent, and Labour more generally might be sympathetic to their cause after the Tories repeatedly refused to discuss the issue.
The Guardian
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Jamaica to ask King Charles to refer issue of reparations for slavery to UK's privy council
Jamaica will ask King Charles to request legal advice on the issue of slavery reparations from the judicial committee of the privy council, the final court of appeal for UK overseas territories and some Commonwealth nations. Under the Judicial Committee Act of 1833, the king, who remains Jamaica's head of state after the country gained independence from Britain in 1962, has the authority to refer matters to the council for consideration. Hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans were shipped to Jamaica, and many scholars and advocates say the legacy of that period has resulted in or played a role in today's inequities. Calls for reparations are longstanding and moves such as the appeal to King Charles help to keep the topic in the public spotlight. A backlash against it has also been growing, and many of Europe's leaders have opposed even talking about it. Jamaica's culture minister, Olivia Grange, said her government was asking the council to consider whether the forced transport of enslaved Africans to Jamaica and their subsequent enslavement was lawful, and if it constituted a crime against humanity. It is also calling on the council to examine whether Britain is 'under an obligation to provide a remedy' to Jamaica, not only for slavery but also for its enduring consequences. 'We will be submitting a petition to His Majesty King Charles III to refer to the privy council a set of questions that we want answered within his current position as head of state of Jamaica,' Grange said in the Jamaican parliament on Tuesday. Nicola Diggle, an expert in privy council appeals at London law firm Blake Morgan, said the monarch could refer any matter to the council. Lower courts in countries such as Jamaica, where the council is the final court of appeal, can also refer cases. However, it may decide the matter is unsuitable for its opinion. The legal weight of the council's recommendations can vary. They could either be treated as a court judgment or non-enforceable legal opinions. King Charles expressed deep sorrow over slavery in a speech to Commonwealth leaders in 2022 but Britain, like other former colonial powers, has so far rejected demands for reparations. The petition comes after Jamaica's government presented a bill in December to ditch the king as head of state.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jamaica to take fight for slavery reparations to King Charles
By Catarina Demony LONDON (Reuters) -Jamaica will ask King Charles to request legal advice from the London-based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the final court of appeal for UK overseas territories and some Commonwealth nations, on the issue of slavery reparations. Under the Judicial Committee Act of 1833, Charles, who remains Jamaica's head of state after the country gained independence from Britain in 1962, has the authority to refer matters to the council for consideration. Hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans were shipped to Jamaica, and many scholars and advocates say the legacy of that period has resulted in or played a role in today's inequities. Calls for reparations are longstanding and moves such as the appeal to Charles help to keep the topic in the public spotlight. A backlash against it has also been growing, and many of Europe's leaders have opposed even talking about it. Jamaica's culture minister, Olivia Grange, said her government was seeking the council to consider whether the forced transport of enslaved Africans to Jamaica and their subsequent enslavement was lawful, and if it constituted a crime against humanity. It is also calling on the council to examine whether Britain is "under an obligation to provide a remedy" to Jamaica, not only for slavery but also for its enduring consequences. "We will be submitting a petition to His Majesty King Charles III to refer to the Privy Council a set of questions that we want answered within his current position as head of state of Jamaica," Grange said in the Jamaican parliament on Tuesday. Nicola Diggle, an expert in Privy Council appeals at London law firm Blake Morgan, said the monarch could refer any matter to the council. Lower courts in countries such as Jamaica, where the council is the final court of appeal, can also refer cases. However, it may decide the matter is unsuitable for its opinion. The legal weight of the council's recommendations can vary. They could either be treated as a court judgment or non-enforceable legal opinions. Charles expressed deep sorrow over slavery in a speech to Commonwealth leaders in 2022 but Britain, like other former colonial powers, has so far rejected demands for reparations. The petition comes after Jamaica's government presented a bill in December last year to ditch the king as head of state.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Jamaica to take fight for slavery reparations to King Charles
King Charles III is seen in The Queen's Chapel, central London, June 4, 2025. (Aaron Chown/PA, Pool via AP) LONDON - Jamaica will ask King Charles to request legal advice from the London-based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the final court of appeal for U.K. overseas territories and some Commonwealth nations, on the issue of slavery reparations. Under the Judicial Committee Act of 1833, Charles, who remains Jamaica's head of state after the country gained independence from Britain in 1962, has the authority to refer matters to the council for consideration. Hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans were shipped to Jamaica, and many scholars and advocates say the legacy of that period has resulted in or played a role in today's inequities. Calls for reparations are longstanding and moves such as the appeal to Charles help to keep the topic in the public spotlight. A backlash against it has also been growing, and many of Europe's leaders have opposed even talking about it. Jamaica's culture minister, Olivia Grange, said her government was seeking the council to consider whether the forced transport of enslaved Africans to Jamaica and their subsequent enslavement was lawful, and if it constituted a crime against humanity. It is also calling on the council to examine whether Britain is 'under an obligation to provide a remedy' to Jamaica, not only for slavery but also for its enduring consequences. 'We will be submitting a petition to His Majesty King Charles III to refer to the Privy Council a set of questions that we want answered within his current position as head of state of Jamaica,' Grange said in the Jamaican parliament on Tuesday. Nicola Diggle, an expert in Privy Council appeals at London law firm Blake Morgan, said the monarch could refer any matter to the council. Lower courts in countries such as Jamaica, where the council is the final court of appeal, can also refer cases. However, it may decide the matter is unsuitable for its opinion. The legal weight of the council's recommendations can vary. They could either be treated as a court judgment or non-enforceable legal opinions. Charles expressed deep sorrow over slavery in a speech to Commonwealth leaders in 2022 but Britain, like other former colonial powers, has so far rejected demands for reparations. The petition comes after Jamaica's government presented a bill in December last year to ditch the king as head of state. (Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Alison Williams)
