Roy Sanford, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE ONGOING saga surrounding the long overdue election for a new colonel of the Accompong Maroons took another interesting twist this week when Loxley Salmon, one of three contenders for the position; withdraw his candidacy, citing concerns over the voters list.
However, although he declared that he was pulling out of the race, Mr, Salmon was somewhat inconclusive when he spoke to The Gleaner as according to him, "I might reconsider later but for now, I am pulling out."
"I am not satisfied with the number of names on the voters list," Mr. Salmon said, in expressing his displeasure with the list, which was prepared by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ). "There are too many persons on the list that are not Maroons."
Mr. Salmon further noted that some of the names on the list were allowed to remain there by the other two contenders, former colonel Meridie Rowe and incumbent colonel Syndie Peddie, because that situation favours them. "Some of the names on the list benefit Rowe and others benefit Peddie," he said. "So in a case like this there is really no need for them to raise any objections."
The voter's list, which the EOJ signed off on, has been a source of much controversy in the election process. All the candidates rejected it initially, forcing the postponement of the election, which was originally slated for April 6.
The list was subsequently sent to the Maroon Council of Elders for verification and it was agreed that when all the candidates reached an accord on who should be on the list, the EOJ would be notified.
However, Mr. Salmon continued to reject the list even after the Maroon Council had verified it. On Monday he said there was no way he would accept the list in its present state and as a consequence, he had no choice but to drop out of the elections.
However, he left the door slightly open in regards to his future involvement, stating that, "I have been getting a lot of support from Maroons here in Jamaica and overseas so on Nomination Day I could still pull out a surprise and decide to run."
