Leave Paul Bogle alone!
published: Wednesday | October 27, 2004

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I JUST read an article written by Rev. Devon Dick in which he made mention of one Bev Carey who is supposed to be a Maroon questioning whether or not Paul Bogle deserves to be a National Hero. To the contrary, I have very strong reservations about the role played by the Maroons in our past and in fact, as Ms Carey mentioned, the police that went to arrest Bogle were Maroons.

My understanding is that the Maroons were part of the system used first to ensure that other slaves remained as slaves and then at a later date they received privileged positions from which they helped in the oppression of the poor black slaves that were newly free when slavery was abolished. Hence the reason why they end up with entire villages for themselves while the poor black peasant did not even have land.

The act of Maroons acting as slave catchers is the behaviour of cowards and betrayers and so I suggest that the Maroons leave the issue of Paul Bogle alone. He is our hero. He was brave enough to make a stand then. How many persons do we now have that are brave enough to make that stand today?

I am, etc.,

JEROME HENRY

14 Second Avenue

Buff Bay, Portland