By Roy Sanford, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THREE CANDIDATES were on Wednesday nominated to contest the May 27 election to choose a new Colonel of the Accompong Maroons in St. Elizabeth.
The three candidates are incumbent colonel Sydney Peddie, 72; former colonel Meridie Rowe, 51; and Ralston Reid, 60.
In interviews with The Gleaner following their nominations, all three candidates expressed satisfaction with the electoral process and declared their readiness for the upcoming election.
Mr. Rowe, who previously served one term as colonel, said his campaign would centre on preserving the culture of the Maroons. "Too much of our tradition and heritage is being lost to poor management and corruption in the present administration," he said.
Colonel Peddie said he plans to build on what he described as an 'ongoing development in Accompong.' "I want to continue what I have been doing over the past five years and I want to ensure they are completed within the next five years," he said.
Mr. Reid said he intends to work towards preserving Maroon lands, which, he said, are slowly being encroached upon. "We fought the English and gained our freedom and our land," he said. "But it appears as if we are losing not only our freedom but also our land."
All the candidates pointed out that they intend to make water accessible to the community and create job opportunities for young people there.
Just under 1,500 persons have been registered to vote in the election, which was originally slated for Tuesday, April 6.
That date was cancelled after disagreement surfaced over some of the names that appeared on the voters' list, which was prepared by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).
The list was eventually sent to the Maroon Council of Elders for verification but problems still remained after one of the prospective candidates, Loxley Salmon, complained that he was not satisfied with it. He subsequently withdrew from the race.
With Salmon out the race, the other three contestants signed off on the list, paving the way for Wednesday's nomination exercise.
