RICHARD Currie, chief of the Accompong Maroons in St Elizabeth, on Sunday signalled the support of the people he leads for the Mark Golding-led People’s National Party (PNP) in its quest to form the next Government.

Currie, who was addressing the public session of the 86th annual conference of the PNP at the National Arena in St Andrew, threw shade at the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Administration as he implored Jamaicans to make a change.

“I begin this speech today with the words of renowned philosopher, activist and author Angela Davis who said, ‘I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.’ The maroons will no longer accept violation of our rights and disrespect.

“We are here today. We journeyed far and we sojourned to deliver a message. They will say I am political but what do you expect me to do? The point is, we have been soliciting the Government for three and a half years and to date they have not responded to us. They have not attended one function, but Markie G [Mark Golding] has. Your future leader has, because he has vim, vigour and vitality,” said Currie to wild cheers from the hundreds of Comrades at the conference.

Since Currie was elected colonel of the Accompong Maroons he has had frequent verbal battles with the Holness Administration and State agencies.

In the latest incident in July there were reports of a rift between Currie and State actors due to the alleged barricading of members of the Forestry Department in the St Elizabeth community of Quickstep, which is in the Cockpit Country.

The Forestry Department reported that it disrupted a major illegal logging operation in Quickstep, but its employees were impeded in conducting their lawful duties by more than 200 community members and illegal loggers.

At that time Currie took to Instagram to declare that, “The Maroons are within their right to defend their territory, to defend the forest. Chief Currie is not a ‘lumberer’. Chief Currie is a defender of the earth… defender of the culture. That is all I have been doing since I have come here; and I have been asking for dialogue to resolve long-standing issues — particularly the one with Quickstep and the illicit lumbering [there].”

Against that background Currie took to the PNP’s stage on Sunday to declare that the party’s President Golding, “is as real as it gets”.

“The Maroons came here today to deliver a powerful message. Those who think they can undermine the rights of those who were here 287 years before, we have a sad, sad message to deliver in a few months time because the people are tired. Poverty, crime, there is so much that the unity of the Maroons and the people of this beautiful island together can share.

“The years that were sacrificed for the freedom we celebrate today has given us the open door to a republic but it cannot be trampled upon in the way it is being proposed to be trampled upon, which is why we are here to say,’Time has come’. I stand before you as chief of the Accompong Maroons not as a political entity, but as a proud representative of Jamaica’s first nation,” said Currie.

“Our presence here at your 86th conference is both a statement and a gesture. A statement of unity and a gesture towards future mutual respect and peace with Accompong Maroons and all Maroons islandwide, from the windward to the leeward. Respect to Mark Golding and his Administration. When you assume State power you also have a home in Accompong, brother. Let us embrace unity, respect, and mutual understanding as we move for a brighter future for this beautiful land we love,” declared Currie to even louder applause.