Fake! - Currie dismisses claims of his removal as Maroon chief
Published:Sunday | September 11, 2022 | 1:33 PM
WESTERN BUREAU:
Janet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
Maroon Chief Richard Currie says reports that he was ousted in a vote by the Accompong Town Maroon Council of Elders are fake news.
He says the provision in the Constitution by which such an action could have been taken was not lawfully invoked.
The reports emerged Saturday that Currie was removed in a unanimous vote.
Currie has pointed to Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution for the Sovereign State of Accompong, which speaks to the procedure to remove a maroon chief, to undermine the claims of the 'council of elders'.
According to the constitution, "in the event of impeachment, or removal of the Chief, Deputy Chief, and any of the Council members, they will be tried by the Executive Council. The findings of the Executive Council will be brought to the Full Maroon Council for review.
"If the individual is found guilty, a meeting of the Full Maroon Council will be called with the Maroon citizens of the Sovereign State of Accompong to reveal the findings. A vote will be taken by written ballots for the removal or impeachment of the Chief, the Deputy Chief or any Council Member(s)."
Currie says that procedure was no activated.
"This Article has NOT been lawfully invoked by the Full Maroon Council nor is there any provision in the Accompong Constitution affording any Council outside the Full Maroon Council to execute the laws under this said Article,” stated Currie.
Like Currie, Ramone Green, the secretary of the Accompong Maroon Council, is also refuting the claim being made by the Elders.
“Obviously, someone is doing something behind the scenes. There has been no such meeting that I am aware of, and nothing was brought to the full council,” said Green.
He further noted that the council comprises 16 members, and if a decision like was to be made, it would need one-third of the votes and none of the members voted.
Green says he remains in a state of shock, as he only heard of the ousting on Sunday morning.
Telephone calls to the number attached to the press release announcing the alleged ouster of Currie were not answered.
Former council member Alex Moore Minott, who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs at the commencement of Currie's administration in 2021, said up to a few months ago, there was no standing council of Maroons.
Minott also said the constitution has no provisions for what the Elders claimed they did in their press release.
According to the Elders, they voted on Saturday, to convict Chief Richard Currie on more than 27 impeachment charges, along with a vote of 'no confidence,' which they say automatically removed him from his position as chief of Accompong Town.
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