WESTERN BUREAU:
THE ACCOMPONG Town Maroons in St. Elizabeth are once again accusing the government of trying to steal their ancestral lands.
Former Colonel and President of the Maroons Federal House of Assembly, Meredie Rowe, speaking at a press conference in Montego Bay on Tuesday, accused the government of sabotage and said that they were not forthright in their discussions on the issuing of Maroon lands for the proposed Cockpit Country Conservation project.
"Colonel Sydney Peddie of the Accompong Town Maroons received a letter on June 19 to visit Kings House on June 22 with proof of ownership of our lands," Mr. Rowe noted. "We refused to do so as two days is not enough time for us to prepare and speak to our lawyers," said Mr. Rowe.
At the press conference, held to announce the Maroons commemoration of Marcus Garvey Week from August 13-19, he further accused the executive director of the South Trelawny Environmental Agency (STEA), Hugh Dixon, who has been working in Accompong, of underhand practices.
He said that Mr. Dixon was attempting to get close to Maroons and influence them into parting with their lands.
"We will be more comfortable if he is not tempted to visit these communities again. From this moment he is persona non grata in these communities," he told reporters, officers of the Jamaica Tourist Board and representatives from the Rastafarian community.
In response, Mr. Dixon, told The Gleaner that his work in Accompong was fully supported by present area Colonel, Sydney Peddie, and insisted that Mr. Rowe did not have the power to prevent him from continuing his work there.
"I do work in Accompong with the women under the Canadian Foundation for International Development establishing a herbal project that is designed to assist economically," said Mr. Dixon.
"We just last Tuesday signed an agreement with Colonel Peddie before over 150 residents for the herbal garden project."
STEA has also carried out some research in Accompong to inform the Cockpit Country Conservation programme now being developed, work that was similarly down in Albert Town.
Mr. Dixon said further that because of their work regarding conservation in the area their role could have been misinterpreted.
"I can see where we could have been mistaken as an offshoot of government but we are just a environment agency with interest in preserving the Cockpit," he said.
"The general perception by the Maroons is that the government has always been encroaching on their land so a project such as the one proposed, which might include Maroon lands, must be cause for concern for them," he said.
Keril Wright
