A small group of Accompong Maroons in St Elizabeth invited to the public session of the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) 81st Annual General Conference at the National Arena in St Andrew demonstrated Sunday that not all Maroons in the Cockpit country support the People’s National Party (PNP), the signal sent by Chief Richard Currie at September’s PNP conference.

The small group was led by former colonel of the Accompong Maroons Ferron Williams, who has a strained relationship with Currie.

“I was colonel of the Accompong Maroons for 13 years uninterrupted. There was no government interruption or interference and things were peaceful,” Williams told the Jamaica Observer.

“Cudjoe [18th century Maroon freedom fighter], I am certain, turned in his grave when Currie went and endorsed Markie G [Opposition Leader Mark Golding] as his choice for leader of Jamaica,” Williams added.

Since shortly becoming colonel in Accompong on Thursday, February 18, 2021 Currie has been at loggerheads with the Andrew Holness-led Government over numerous issues, including mining in the Cockpit Country.

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 alleged 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].”

Although Williams didn’t address the tens of thousands of JLP supporters who packed the arena and crammed parking lots and other open spaces on the outside, he and members of his group were acknowledged and received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Andrew Holness and other JLP officials during their address to the gathering.

Currie made a bold move in September when he declared that the Maroons support the Opposition PNP and its leader, Mark Golding, at the PNP conference.

However, on Sunday Williams insisted that that was far from the truth, and lambasted Currie for making such a declaration, among other things.

“The relationship between Currie and the Government is not good. Currie is against the Government. It was I who took Currie to Accompong in 2018; he was my public relations person. I took him to Parliament, and when the honourable prime minister was about to announce the borders of the Cockpit Country, among other things relating to the Cockpit Country, Currie got up and wanted to talk, and I said no.

“He is not for the people. And the fact of the matter is that I come here with a small group to show that not all Maroons in Accompong are against the prime minister and his policies. I am 72 years old and this Government is the best I have worked with on the two sides,” Williams told the Observer.

Williams claimed that there is a squabble over the Cockpit Country because certain elements wish to claim lands and have it registered in their name and, according to him, that will not happen while he is alive.

“There are specific people who want the Maroon lands to be registered in their name, but over my dead body. What can go so?”

The former colonel said that Currie is free to support whichever party he chooses but was adamant that he should not have and should never again make certain declarations on behalf of all Maroons in Accompong.

“If he had come and said he was speaking on behalf of a few Maroons, I probably would not be here today,” Williams said.

“Currie came to the PNP conference saying he represents the Maroons. I sat — over the three years plus that he has been in office — and I have watched him. He went to the PNP conference and his words basically mean to me that he wants to bring us back into slavery. I have not heard the Opposition leader deny claims that his foreparents may have been slave masters. Him nuh deny it.

“No honest, right-minded Maroon should want to go and rule under a British man, Markie G. No well-thinking Maroon should not be voting for Markie G — not when Cudjoe fought so long to give us freedom, and now he wants to put us back under the whip of the slave master’s whip. It can’t work. What can go so?”

At the PNP’s September conference at the National Arena Currie, who was given a platform to speak, began his speech 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.”

Currie said that no longer would Maroons accept disrespect and violation of their rights.

“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 who received wild cheers from the thousands of PNP supporters at the conference.

After making his speech in September, chiefs from other Maroon settlements in Jamaica indicated that Currie was only speaking for himself, and not on behalf of the people they lead.