RICHARD Currie, colonel of the Accompong Maroons in St Elizabeth, has appealed for patience as pressure mounts for him to announce the date of the next election, which became due on February 18.

Since February 18, potential candidates have been calling on Currie to announce the date of the election which is to be held every five years.

In a video posted on his Instagram page on Thursday, Currie declared that he is still the chief, until the people of Accompong decide otherwise in the next election.

“We ask your patience as the chief remains the person in charge as per [the] constitution and the one who will call the election,” a stern-faced Currie said.

He indicated that the enumeration process was scheduled to begin in November last year but it was derailed by the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa which destroyed many houses in Accompong.

“Today I want to add clarity around the 2026 Maroon elections which was constitutionally due on February 18, 2026. As you would have known, Accompong was significantly affected by Hurricane Melissa in late October of 2025. Since then it has significantly impacted the livelihoods of our community as many homes have been destroyed and many persons displaced.

“The enumeration process which was set to begin in November of 2025 has since been subsequently delayed and to date we are now in the process of completing the establishment of the electoral committee and the assignment of electoral office in order for a free and fair process to unfold. I ask that the external and diaspora, as well as Maroons locally, appreciate the considerations that have been taken and put in place to ensure that the process still moves along,” Currie said.

He moved to set the record straight as it relates to which Maroon constitution which will govern how the election will run.

In the video, Currie said, “Be reminded that the 2022 ratified Maroon constitution outlines the process for the execution of such an important occasion in our community. Candidates have been notified and the respective responses have been received. We await the council and the board of elders in their unravelling of the process that will be executed throughout the next few weeks”.

But this has attracted pushback from potential candidates with at least one of them demanding that the correct constitution that should be used is the 2004 version.

In the 2022 constitution, one of the points highlighted is that potential candidates must be living in Accompong for a stated number of years. This is particularly troubling for potential candidate Cadien Wallace, who although a Maroon by birth, spent many years overseas.

In recent times, Wallace has indicated that he is putting things in place to return to Accompong permanently.

He shared a letter with the Jamaica Observer which he said he had already dispatched to Currie.

“I write to state clearly and unequivocally that the only recognised and legitimate constitution governing the Accompong Town Maroons is the 2004 Constitution. It remains the lawful and binding framework of governance. The 2022 document you are attempting to advance has no legitimate standing and is not accepted by the people as a valid constitutional instrument. Your time in office has concluded, and any actions taken beyond that mandate must reflect respect for the established constitutional order. Attempts to impose structural changes outside of the 2004 Constitution undermine the integrity of our governance and the will of the people,” Wallace said.

He said further that an election committee should be constituted and should be impartial and transparent.

“It should include two representatives from each potential candidate to ensure fairness and credibility. It cannot, and should not be a body assembled unilaterally or in private consultation without balanced representation. The path forward must be guided by legitimacy, transparency, and adherence to the 2004 Constitution.”

Former colonel, Ferron Williams, who has also indicated his intention to run in the next election, recently pushed back against Currie’s rule on how long people have to be living in the town to be eligible to contest the election. Williams has argued that Currie was not living in Accompong at the time he became colonel in 2021.

“There was some garbage put out that for people to be eligible for the election, they should be living in Accompong for three years or more. At the time when he ran he wasn’t living in Accompong and that is one of the reasons I have to come out now. People are saying I was the one who brought Currie there. He was not born in Accompong. He didn’t grow up in Accompong. In 2017 he was introduced to me by his uncle and I decided to make him my public relations officer,” said Williams.

In a recent interview with the Observer, Williams said he has had to apologise to his family because he had promised them that he would not run in the upcoming election but has since changed his mind because he has to do it for the people.

“I said that I would not be going back, however the people in the community are calling me. They say I have a better chance of defeating Currie more than anybody else. I had promised my immediate family members that I wouldn’t be running back. After careful consideration I am still going to appeal to my immediate family members to allow me to bring back peace, unity and tranquillity in the community. I know I can bring back unity,” added Williams.

WILLIAMS… has indicated his intention to run in the next election (Photo: Joseph Wellington)