Director of Elections Glasspole Brown says the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) has received a request to manage the election for the next leader of the Accompong Maroons in St Elizabeth. However, the office is awaiting “certain particulars” from the Maroons before it can become involved in the process.

Brown, though, declined to say what those particulars were.

The five-year tenure of Richard Currie, the most recent colonel of Accompong, ended on February 18. Since that day, at least five Maroons, including returning residents and former colonels, have expressed intention to run in the next election whenever Currie announces the date.

Since February 18, the potential candidates have been pressing Currie to name the date. They contend that Currie is stalling the process and buying time due to fear he may lose the poll.

However, Currie has said that his focus was on seeing the residents of Accompong experience a decent level of recovery from devastation caused by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in October last year.

On Tuesday, the director of elections told the Jamaica Observer that he has received correspondence from a number of Maroons associated with Accompong, indicating their intention to run for colonel.

According to Ferron Williams, a former colonel of Accompong and one of the potential candidates, the person who is supposed to serve as the chief of elections has decided that he is no longer interested in the role. That, he said, was among the things stalling the process.

Williams said that there is currently an attempt to replace that person with a Maroon who is a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, but explained that he will need the permission of the commissioner of police if he is to become involved.

Williams hinted that the next step may be to write a letter to the office of the commissioner of police requesting permission.

In February, Currie appealed to agitated Maroons to exercise patience in relation to the announcement of the election date.

In a video posted on his Instagram page, Currie declared that he was still the chief until the Maroons 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 in the video.

“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 [Maroons] 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.