Members of the Trevelyan family have delivered an apology today, to the people of Grenada for their ancestor’s role in the enslavement of hundreds of Africans on their plantations.

Laura Trevelyan a BBC journalist and members of her family delivered the apology on Monday morning at the Grenada National Reparations Commission (GNRC) and The University of the West Indies Reparations Forum.

Laura along with her cousin John Dower read the apology on behalf of over 100 family members.  

“To the people of Grenada, we apologize for the actions of our ancestors in holding your ancestors in slavery…I’m so sorry about our painful, shared past and for the role of our ancestors in it,” she said

The Trevelyans have committed to giving £100,000 to establish a community fund for economic development that will be managed by The University of the West Indies. Additionally, other family members will be making donations and have committed to giving their time to community projects in Grenada.

Sir John Trevelyan and his wife Louisa Simond owned about 1,000 enslaved persons on six plantations. They received £26,898, which is equal to about £3million in today’s money, as compensation for freeing their slaves.

In accepting the apology, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell noted that Laura and her family did not have to do it.

“I appreciate that some of our fellow citizens may see this as tokenism, as an attempt to pacify us, but I am satisfied that sometimes even tokenism is a step in the right direction. They did not have to do this” Mitchell stated.