Black Immigrant Daily News

The remains of nine indigenous people shipped to the Netherlands after an archaeological dig over 30 years ago have been repatriated to Statia.

The bone fragments, along with other artefacts, were unearthed during the 1984-89 excavation at the F.D Roosevelt Airport by archaeologist Aad Versteeg as part of a research project by the Archaeological Centre of the Leiden State University in the Netherlands and the Archaeological-Anthropological Institute of the Netherlands Antilles on Cura?ao. The project investigated several archaeological sites in the Windward islands of the Netherlands Antilles, particular in Saba and Statia, to gain an insight into the way of life and patterns of organisation of the indigenous inhabitants of the islands in the pre-Columbian period.

Almost all the excavated material, including artefacts that dated back to the fifth century, was shipped to the Netherlands. The research results were published in the 1992 publication “The Archaeology of Sint Eustatius. The Golden Rock.”

Now, after a near year-long process, which included discussions between the authorities in Statia and the Netherlands, the human remains are back on the island. The Statia Cultural Heritage Implementation Committee will consult residents on burial, said Nasha Radjouki, the programme manager for culture with the Statia Government.

“It’s imperative that we involve the Statian community as we consider how and where to rebury these human remains in a respectful way,” Radjouki emphasised. “The Statian community must know that there is more to their history than just what has been written, and be involved in the new narrative.”

The transfer agreement for the return of the remains was signed last month by Government Commissioner Alida Francis, in the presence of Island Commissioners Derrick Simmons and Glenville Schmidt, Radjouki, and members of the St. Eustatius Center for Archaeological Research, a non-governmental organisation involved in the study of all aspects of the rich and diverse archaeological heritage of the island.

“The discovery more than 30 years ago, and the eventual return of the remains of the indigenous people, helps us to recognise that in addition to the enslaved Africans, we also had an indigenous community who had their own burial grounds,” said Francis. “Our story is much broader and richer than even we thought, and it’s up to us to tell this story.”

The return of human remains is the first phase of a wider repatriation project being undertaken by the Department of Culture. The rest of the artefacts – boxes of ceramic, lithia, coral, shell food remains and artefacts – will be returned in the third quarter of this year. Following this, the process will begin to have William and Mary College, a US public research university, to return a collection of Statian artefacts currently in its possession.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica (AMCHAM Jamaica), participated in federal hearings before the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in Washington DC last Thursday, as the USITC begins their periodic review of the duty-free access of goods from Jamaica and the region to the United States.

AMCHAM Jamaica CEO, Jodi-Ann Quarrie, represented the Chamber at the hearings on March 9, 2023, where she gave oral testimony defending Jamaica’s use of the duty-free regime. She also answered questions about potential impediments for Jamaican businesses as the USITC reviews the economic impact of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related programmes, more commonly known in Jamaica as the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). These programmes allow for duty-free imports from designated countries including Jamaica.

After the hearings, Quarrie said, “We must ensure that a clear market for Jamaican goods in the United States continues to be maintained. We value this platform to express our perspectives and share valuable insights with the USITC regarding the economic impact of the programmes on Jamaica and the Caribbean region.”

Among the issues discussed were regulatory costs, the difficulty in securing inspections, the insecurity concerning the iterative process of U.S. trade law renewals, female participation in the labor force, and the impact of the Jamaican diaspora.

President of AMCHAM Jamaica, Ann-Dawn Young Sang, emphasized the importance of representing the Jamaican business community in these hearings. “The revenues from exports to the US constitute a large part of Jamaica’s foreign exchange earnings. It is therefore crucial that the members of the Chamber are able to be represented and that solutions are put forward for the improvement of the CBI program. Because of our close working relationship with the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC, AMCHAM Jamaica is sensitive to the need to continue this partnership between the United States and Jamaica to build strong economies, strengthen ties, and to contribute to the recovery of Jamaican businesses post-Covid.”

AMCHAM Jamaica was the only Jamaican representative at the hearings. Other participants included Zulfikar Ally, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Guyana, and Industry association representatives from Haiti, and Antigua and Barbuda among others.

The decision on the future of the CBI will take into consideration how Jamaica has utilized the programme, and the report on the findings of the USITC is expected to be completed in September 2023. AMCHAM Jamaica will continue to advocate for the continuation of the regime in the best interests of the Jamaican business community.

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