MOORE TOWN, Portland — Moore Town Maroon Colonel Wallace Sterling, who on Sunday survived an 18 year-old’s attempt to unseat him from the position he has held for almost three decades, says he will invite her and her mother to a meeting of the Maroon Council.

“We are going to invite some other elders and some other influential Maroon persons and we are going to talk about that,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Monday as he expressed concern that Lamorra “Hope” Dillon had used his image on her ballot paper without his permission. All those who voted, about 38 people, choose Dillon. There are about 1,000 members of the community.

“Hopefully we will have a township meeting immediately after that council meeting so we can explain to the township what it is. This should take place within another two weeks or so because persons we want to invite won’t be available before that time. Since I’ve not explained it to the council, I don’t want to go into any details. I don’t want things to go out into the public because these things are about the Maroons,” added Sterling.

He has repeatedly said Sunday’s attempt at a vote was not recognised by the council and was therefore null and void. He has also made it clear that ballot papers are not traditionally used in Moore Town Maroon elections.

Sterling stressed that he bears no ill will towards Dillon or her mother as he is convinced they are being manipulated.

“Contrary to what some people might think, I have no animosity against her. She is a part of a bigger game that she knows nothing about and her mother knows nothing about it; people are playing them,” said Wallace who has repeatedly accused controversial Accompong Maroon Colonel Richard Currie of meddling in Moore Town’s affairs.

Sterling is of the view that Dillon has ruined any chances of ever succeeding him.

“If I’m not the colonel… that family will not be, because… the community is not going to support them,” he said.

There were mixed views in Moore Town on Sunday during Dillon’s effort to have a vote on the leadership. Some supported her while others had concerns about her age and inexperience. Some were of the view that Sterling is doing a good job while others complained that there had been no community meetings over the last two years. The colonel has indicated that meetings were not held because of a need to respect safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

His detractors also complained that he focuses on Moore Town while the other eight maroon communities — Ginger House, Cornwall Barracks, Bellevue, Comfort Castle, Seaman’s Valley, Windsor, Brown’s Field and Mill Bank — are neglected.

Meanwhile, residents like George Harris are hoping for unity.

“I heard about a selection or election. The colonel should meet with the council and then the township meeting before any form of a decision. That is the best option as what is happening now is not good and [it is] wrong,” he said.