Basseterre, St. Kitts — The St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association, in collaboration with The Repair Campaign, hosted a special Youth Parliament Sitting focused on Reparatory Justice on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at the National Assembly Chambers. This debate brought to the fore the voices and thoughts of young people as they debated one of the region’s most significant justice movements.
The sitting featured the Resolution, “Advocating for Reparatory Justice: A Youth Call for Decisive Action,” moved by Hon. Jalen Monzac, MYP (President of SKNYPA), acting as Youth Prime Minister and Minister of National Security. The Resolution called for measures including reparations education, youth involvement in reparatory justice advocacy, the establishment of a National Reparations Recovery Fund, and support for the implementation of CARICOM’s Ten Point Plan on Reparations.
The Resolution was drafted by Mauriel Knight, SKNYPA Past President and Special Advisor to the SKNYPA Parliament Committee, who served as Speaker for the Youth Assembly. In preparation for the sitting, SKNYPA also engaged in consultations with local and regional reparations experts and advocates, including lawyer Talibah Byron, Carla T. Astaphan, Chairperson of the St. Kitts-Nevis National Reparations Committee and regional expert, Professor Don Marshall, Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus to ensure members were equipped to engage meaningfully in the debate.
The debate saw spirited contributions from SKNYPArians serving on the Government and Opposition benches, with parliamentarians examining the links between historical enslavement and present-day issues such as climate justice, education, economic inequality, governance, and youth empowerment. Also playing a pivotal role in the sitting was Cadet Sergeant Huggins E., who represented the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force Cadet Corps and served as the Sergeant at Arms for this sitting.
The sitting drew a strong audience to the gallery of the National Assembly Chambers, including students, representatives from The Repair Campaign, and supporters of the youth parliamentarians. Also, in attendance was Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr Terrance Drew.
Ms Elsie Harry, Reparatory Justice Advocate and Consultant Community Organiser for The Repair Campaign, praised the level of engagement shown by participants.
“What stood out most to me was the seriousness with which the youth parliamentarians approached the issue,” Harry stated. “Their contributions demonstrated not only strong research and preparation, but also a sophisticated understanding of the interconnected nature of reparatory justice.”
Harry, a former SKNYPA member herself, added that the resulting resolution was “thoughtful and forward-looking” and reflected “a level of intellectual maturity and civic consciousness that should give the Federation great confidence in the capacity of its young people.”
Carla Astaphan, who attended the sitting, also commended its standard.
“I was enthralled by the high level of presentations delivered by members of the St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association during the first-ever Youth Parliament on reparations,” Astaphan said.
She noted that the participants’ attire, ranging from professional wear to African-inspired regalia, added “a creative and culturally meaningful element” to the event. At the same time, the well researched presentations and moments of humour kept the audience engaged throughout the proceedings.
The sitting was hosted in collaboration with the Repair Campaign as part of ongoing efforts to deepen youth engagement in conversations surrounding reparatory justice across the Federation and wider Caribbean region.
The sitting formed part of SKNYPA’s ongoing mission to encourage civic participation, policy awareness, and youth leadership development in St. Kitts and Nevis.
