By Rayon Dyer, Gleaner WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE UPCOMING elections to determine who will lead the Accompong Maroons for the next five years could evolve into a contentious affair, as the two candidates vying for colonel have differing views on how the elections should be conducted.
While incumbent colonel, 71-year-old Sydney Peddie, who is being challenged by 51-year-old Meredie Rowe, wants all the voting done in Accompong, his opponent, who is a former colonel, wants voting to take place at polling stations outside the community.
"If all the voting is done in Accompong it would deny hundreds of Maroons of their right to participate in the running of the maroon council simply because they are not living in Accompong," said Mr. Rowe, of the elections, which should have been held from last October. "That would be wrong and should not be allowed to happen."
In an interview with The Gleaner, Colonel Peddie said he has written to the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) informing them that it was time for the Maroon elections and in the process, suggested that the enumeration process should start now to facilitate the early staging of the elections.
ELIGIBILITY
"I intend to announce the date of the elections between now and the last week of March," said Colonel Peddie, who noted that the Accompong Maroon Council would continue to maintain its stance in regards to the eligibility situation. "All candidates vying for the position of colonel must reside in the Maroon village. Also, I intend to close all other polling stations that are outside of Accompong."
In rejecting Mr. Rowe's position that polling stations should be established in areas such as Aberdeen, Windsor, Cedar Spring, Elderslie, Garlands, Montego Bay and Kingston, Colonel Peddie said it is not right for Maroons who are not living in Accompong and who have no idea about what goes on in the village to elect a leader for the council.
"Only those Maroons living in Accompong should be allowed to vote," insisted Colonel Peddie. "It is on that basis that I think the polling stations of Aberdeen, Windsor, Cedar Spring, Elderslie, Garlands, Montego Bay, Kingston should be closed and all voting conducted in Accompong."
However, in sticking up for his position, Mr. Rowe told The Gleaner that it would be wrong for Colonel Peddie to disenfranchise the Maroons who live outside of Accompong as they are the majority. He added that those who are being deemed as outsiders have been investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the development of the area.
He further noted that the way the Maroons now conduct business is a far cry from the way their forefathers operated. According to him, prior to 1959, the Maroons voted for their colonel by the showing of hands unlike now, which sees them utilising the services of the EOJ.
