CURB Launches Racial Justice Roadmap
Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda [CURB] unveiled its 2025 Racial Justice Platform, Reparations, Restoration & Reconciliation; which they describe as an “ambitious, multi-faceted roadmap to address systemic racism, economic inequality and the historic legacies of colonialism and enslavement that continue to impact Black Bermudians.”
A CURB spokesperson noted that “since its first Racial Justice Platform was published in 2012, CURB has expanded on its Platform and periodically published updated versions over the years.
“The 2025 platform reflects extensive community consultation, research, and decades of advocacy, calling for transformative action across taxation, employment, human rights, voting rights, criminal justice, economic reparations, education and individual responsibility.
Key priorities include:
- “Tax Reform for Equity: Introduction of a graduated income tax, fairer tax structures to reduce burdens on lower income Bermudians and using new revenues from the global income tax to improve Bermudian lives.
- “Labour & Human Rights Protections: Reform of the Employment Act to prevent abuse of overtime rules disadvantaging Bermudians; modernization of the Human Rights Act to cover online racist imagery and allow broader access to justice.
- “Expanding Democratic Participation: Extending voting rights to incarcerated persons, implementing absentee voting for Bermudians abroad, and reforming election timelines to improve access.
- “Criminal Justice Reform & Restorative Justice: Advocate for restorative practices that emphasize rehabilitation over punishment; call for review and reform of laws such as Section 315F of the Criminal Code, which, while aimed at enhancing public safety, raises legitimate concerns about racial profiling and disproportionate impact. Support the establishment of independent oversight bodies to ensure policing and judicial practices remain fair, transparent, and accountable.
- “Economic Reparations & Empowerment: Recommendations include mortgage reform, financial ombudsman, co-operative business models, necessity goods depots, and participation in CARICOM’s Reparations Commission to acknowledge and address historic and continuing harm.
- “Education Reform: Introduction of Restorative Practices in all schools, a systemic Bermuda and Black Studies curriculum, and scholarships for tertiary education to address educational inequities.
- “Individual & Community Action: Encouraging all Bermudians to engage in self-education, dialogue and concrete acts of repair and solidarity across racial lines.”
“Bermuda cannot achieve true unity, healing and justice without first acknowledging and actively repairing the harm inflicted by centuries of enslavement, segregation, systemic racism and economic marginalization,” said a CURB spokesperson. “This platform offers a blueprint to move beyond apologies, towards concrete policies and community action that will create real, measurable change.”
A spokesperson added, “CURB’s recommendations build on years of previous successes, including advocating for the renaming of Somers Day to Mary Prince Day and pension reforms to protect Bermudian workers. The platform draws on global best practices, historical scholarship, and the voices of Black Bermudians directly impacted by injustice.”
“In joining the global movement for reparatory justice, CURB urges the Bermuda Government to take full membership in the CARICOM Reparations Commission and advocates for a Fund for Reparations, Restoration & Reconciliation to address disparities that remain visible today, in education, health, wealth and criminal justice outcomes.”
“Racial justice is not a single event but a long-term, collective journey,” CURB emphasized. “Through this platform, we invite government, civil society, businesses and every Bermudian to participate in creating a fairer, more equitable and unified Bermuda.”
A spokesperson added, “The full 2025 Racial Justice Platform is available at www.uprootingracism.info.”
Why does this read similar to the platform the PLP used in the election and recent announcements?
I have often thought CURB was a joke and this is reinforcing my thoughts, they are a political aligned organization.
Extensive. Good luck. Please give an update one year from now.
Everytime CURB makes some announcement there is zero to very little reaction to it.
The views of this PLP satellite are, well, pushed to the curb. Very few care what CURB thinks.
Are they still government funded? If so, why?
Why the emphasis on the lower income only. The middle income Bermudians are the people driving change in terms of Racial equality. The middle income Bermudians are being marginalized and pushed out by the PLP. The middle income Bermudians are the ones who are struggling to put their children through school, pay mortgage and or rent to benefit Bermuda’s future. I guess the PLP doesn’t want this group of middle income Bermudians to thrive, as it doesn’t fit the perpetuation of their narrative and path to retain power.
Middle income Bermudians have traditionally been the “swing vote”