Maroon land war

QUICKSTEP, Trelawny — Farmers of rustic Quickstep, which forms a part of the Cockpit Country, will meet on Saturday to decide what to do about the persistent demands by a man who calls himself Chief Panhanky, that they pay tax on a vast acreage land adjoining the community .

According to the farmers, who say they have been cultivating the land for ages, Panhanky — a self-proclaimed maroon chief — came from "out of the blue" and took up residence on the land known as Belmont Castle.

" He is very annoying. We have no idea where he is from. Farmers have a problem with him because he says he is the chief and as such he is supposed to be paid royalty or lease," a native of Quickstep, Collie Reynolds, told the Observer West .

Seventy-three-year-old Adolphus Green, 73, who has lived in the Southern Trelawny community, which borders the parish of St Elizabeth, for all his life, agreed.

" Him pass us and don't even say howdy. He says we must come to him because the United Nation send him here as chief," Green lamented.

"He come and claim all is there is for his ancestors . He does not even allow us to build hut on the land.

"He came and saw us so him is not supposed to control, bout him come to reap what him ancestors leave behind," another resident, Davidson McPherson, chipped in.

According to Fearon Williams, colonel of the Trelawny Maroons, headquartered in Accompong, St Elizabeth, Saturday's meeting should resolve the issue.

" It is not for him (Pananky) to go and impose taxes. Even we the maroon have not gone to collect. Yet we understand that they (Quickstep natives) are, at times cutting wood off the property," said Williams noting that he and former colonel Meridie Rowe met briefly with Panhanky last Saturday.

Rowe who will on Saturday be appointed as Williams' second deputy on Saturday — joining Norma Edwards— cited the need for a thorough inquiry into the issue.

"... The self-appointed thing does not work. That gentleman, or any other person who claim to be maroon chief has to understand that the fly-by-night thing will not work and that the power structure of maroon administration is based in Accompong Town and the Maroon secretariat has not endorsed anybody in that position.

However he also warned that the Quickstep residents that they have to be regularised.

"Those people at Quickstep must also understand that while they feel very uncomfortable with the modus operandi of this man they themselves will have to come under some regulation. It can't be that everyone come and do as they like. The lands are sole property of maroons and the (maroon) council is presently analysing the situation," he added.

O G Francis, director of the Cockpit Country Heritage Foundation, said that he feels the farmers have a right to the land.

" The people have a right to the land according to United Nations guidelines related to international land treaty but they should be pay taxes to Accompong Town.

When the Observer made telephone contact with Panhanky on Tuesday, he said he was busy at the airport and could not speak. He suggested that the Observer West make an appointment for an interview, but all efforts to reach him since proved futile, as calls went directly to voicemail.

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