PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Controversial leader of the Accompong Maroons, Colonel Richard Currie, has rejected claims that he is behind a push to have Colonel Wallace Sterling replaced, by an 18-year-old girl, as leader of the Moore Town Maroons.

The nasty power struggle has seen death threats being reported to the Portland police who are now focused on making sure no one is hurt during the vote planned for May 8.

On Thursday, Wallace was adamant that an election would not take place on Sunday as the council he leads did not approve the move.

“For one colonel to leave from his community to come into another to decide who should be colonel, this is wrong, downright rude, out of order, impertinent and that nonsense we will not stand,” said a livid Wallace. “We not having an election, no election was called, there is none! Currie don’t run Moore Town so he and the persons in Moore Town who are setting date for an election, we are not having an election. They have proposed the eighth of May but we not having any, the council don’t call an election.”

Currie agreed that he has no authority to call an election but said he was well within his right to throw his support behind a candidate he deems suitable.

“Let’s make it clear, I have no authority in calling an election in no other territory or district than the one I’m in. If there is an election being called, it depends on the people, through their council and their members, who make a challenge. That’s the position I understand. There is a constitution which speaks to how we elect and select. It is our democratic process. I have absolutely no say in the process,” he said.

“I feel it’s a challenge that has been put forward. I’m merely an observer giving my support where I can, and that’s it,” he added.

Currie’s support for the challenger, Lommora Dillon, is no secret. In a WhatsApp message being circulated he is listed among her supporters which are also said to include singer Mark “Buju Banton” Myrie and other influential individuals and groups within the Maroon community.

Currie and Myrie were among people named in a report Wallace made to the police.

“Our main focus is that the incumbent has indicated that he feels threatened in some way from persons associated with the colonel of the Accompong Maroons community, Colonel Currie, and he has also indicated that Mark Myrie ‘Buju Banton’ was also in the Moore Town space and there is some amount of fear for the safety of Colonel Sterling,” superintendent of police in charge of the Portland Division, Kenneth Chin, said at a media briefing on Thursday.

“Based on our assessment that we have done we will be applying the necessary resources to the Moore Town community before and after the event to ensure the safety of all persons, whether or not there is an election,” he added.

Chin also made it clear that any attempt to hold an unapproved event on Sunday would be foiled.

“There is a flyer circulating regarding an entertainment event which is proposed to be held on Sunday, May 8, 2022. As of today, May 5, there is no application received at my office for an entertainment event to play music. The police will ensure that the laws of Jamaica will be enforced in the Moore Town community and we will ensure that no such entertainment event takes place on that date because we have not received an application for any such permit,” he said.