Accompong Maroon Chief Richard Currie
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Richard Currie
Accompong Maroon Chief Richard Currie says he will use mediation to ease the tension between himself and some maroons over his leadership style.
Some maroons have accused Chief Currie of a dictatorial style and alleged that persons close to him have been using verbal and physical attacks to repel any resistance to orders.
The growing agitation came to a head on Saturday night when the chief ordered the shutdown of a party.
A man told the Gleaner that he was gun-butted and stabbed because he and others resisted the order to end the event.
In a statement on Thursday, Chief Currie said the allegations were a combination of a sprinkling of truth and majority fabrication.
Speaking on the Morning Agenda on Power 106 on Friday, Chief Currie said he has been trying to restore order to Accompong, which has become a party central.
He said elders of the community have aired their concerns at several townhalls where the management of the community space and the COVID situation was discussed.
"We're a small community where we are. We don't have the necessary facilities to take here and treat our people," the maroon chief reasoned.
He said the incident involving the injured man, who he revealed is his nephew, occurred while members of his security detail were enforcing COVID-19 measures.
Chief Currie said his nephew has a mental illness and was intoxicated at the time.
According to the maroon leader, the man came to complain to him about the incident but he directed him to "get some rest" after which they could resume talking.
"He left here and got into another altercation, and that created other challenges in the morning, because in that issue, I'm understanding that a knife was used," said Currie, who complained that there were conflicting reports about the incident in the media.
He argued that the reports are making him "seem as if I'm influencing a negative approach to maintaining order in our community, and that is not the case".
The Accompong Maroon leader said an investigation is underway into the allegations of use of force.
Currie noted that another party has been planned for this weekend by a group of maroons loyal to the previous chief.
However, he hopes the planned mediation session will bring resolution to the various issues causing the conflict.
"If it needs to be referred further then it will be, but what we have is a recognised process that is overseen by a lay magistrate and justice of the peace who is a trained dispute resolution specialist," he indicated.
He said discussions are also taking place with the Jamaica Constabulary Force to ensure transparency.
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