The decision came after backlash from the reparations movement, who wanted Drax to give a larger portion of the land to the Barbados people.

In a national broadcast, Mottley explained the government's U-turn and paused the purchase to allow further discussion.

Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, announced a pause in the sale of Drax Hall plantation, a historic site with ties to slavery, to British businessman Richard Drax.

MP Trevor Prescod, who leads reparations efforts in Barbados, expressed concern over the use of the word "pause" and hopes it does not lead to the renewal of commercial relations with Drax.

Many Barbadians feel they have been denied appropriate reparations for centuries of slavery and are concerned about the potential sale of the plantation.

A group of people in Barbados question why they should pay reparations to those whose ancestors enslaved them.

They argue that they were once described as chattel slaves and feel it is unfair to pay those with a history of enslaving their ancestors.

The taxpayers of Barbados have expressed their opposition to the payment of reparations, specifically referencing the Drax family, who were left a plantation in a late father's will in 2017, worth over £150m.

The Drax family is seen as having enough wealth without the need for additional funds from the Barbados government.