Gov't to fund maroon elections - JamaicaObserver.com

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Gov't to fund maroon elections

BY HORACE HINES, Observer West reporter

Thursday, July 02, 2009

ACCOMPONG TOWN, St Elizaabeth-
Richard Rowe, spokesman for the six-member Maroon electoral committee, yesterday disclosed that the enumeration exercise for the Trelawny Maroons elections has been stopped, pending further direction from the Electorial Office of Jamaica (EOJ), even as the government prepares to fund the impending elections.

"We have not received any official communication from Government nor the EOJ. However, the EOJ has expressed (verbally) some interest with the Maroon elections. As a result of this we have halted the enumeration exercise that should take place this week.
The EOJ has stated that they will communicate with us officially (today), so once we receive official communication we will send out a press release informing of the way forward," Rowe told the Observer West.

Citing the shortage of funding, the EOJ recently expressed its inability to render its usual financial assistance to the Maroon elections which cost $2 million.

However, last week government minister, Andrew Holness disclosed that communication was forwarded to the Maroons, informing them of government's decision to assist them.

"We sent a letter today (last Thursday) that... number one, the Government views the Maroons as culturally important to Jamaica and we ought to afford them the same treatment in holding elections as is afforded to any other groups including political parties. There is a financial constraint this year and so we have to be very frugal in how we use the funds that we have," said Holness.

But the minister was quick to point out that the Maroons would have to adhere to the EOJ in their quest for free and fair elections.

"What we have said to the Maroons, at the advice of the Electorial Commission and the EOJ is that they have to follow all the guidelines that are recommended by the EOJ for free and fair elections. In other words, if they are going to have elections and state funds are going to be used to support those elections then it is only right that the Government asks that they follow the laws of the land as it relates to the promotion of free and fair elections," Holness argued.

"We will assist them, we can't assist them with a 100 per cent of the cost but we will assist them with a significant amount of the cost providing they agree with the laws of the lands as it relates to free and fair elections."

Meanwhile, immediate past colonel of the Trelawny Maroons, Sydney Peddie has stepped down, making way for the Full Council of Trelawny Maroons who will in the interim be in charge of the daily affairs of the Maroon communities, pending the polls.

It is not immediately clear whether the Maroons elections which became constitutionally due early last month will be pushed back further from the July 30 date, recently announced by the Maroons. However, Nomination Day has been set for July 17.

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