THE EDITOR, Sir:

On the behalf of the Council of Overseas Maroons, we wish to congratulate Beverly Carey for responding, on Wednesday, September 12, so swiftly and expertly to the article by Garth Taylor titled 'Chronic squatting - Is it really the bane of human civilisation?' in The Sunday Gleaner of September 9, 2012, restating Maroon history for the edification of Mr Taylor.

The learned gentleman, Mr Garth Taylor, is misleading: "... In fact, even the runaway slaves who escaped the plantations into the hills were squatters on Crown land until they acquired ownership rights in the form of modern Maroons. It is, therefore, not alarming that the average man frequently associates squatting with the need for immediate attention and solution."

The answer to Garth Taylor's article is a revived agricultural system that enables people to feed and support themselves off the land. Until that is put in place, the importation of foodstuff and other policies create a boondoggle.

Again, on behalf of all Maroons at home and abroad, we thank Mrs Carey for your ability and dexterity in putting Mr Taylor straight.

CORAL BARNETT

President

Council of Overseas Maroons,

Inc