Currie trumps incumbent Williams in Accompong polls
Published:Friday | February 19, 2021 | 12:20 AMAdrian Frater and Hopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writers
Western Bureau:
Wild celebrations erupted in Accompong Town, St Elizabeth, last evening as supporters of 43-year-old Richard Currie sang and danced after it was announced that he had dethroned the incumbent, Ferron Williams, to become the new colonel of the Maroon enclave.
At the end of polling, Currie got 681 votes to unseat Williams, who polled 400. Former Colonel Meredith Rowe got 98 votes while Sheldon Wallace bagged 30 and Robert Cawley 29.
WATCH: Richard Currie victorious in Accompong polls
Even before the final results were announced, Williams conceded victory, albeit complaining that rampant irregularities in the polling cost him the election.
“I don’t want to sound like a sore loser, but a lot of things went on today that were wrong, especially as it relates to non-Maroons being allowed to vote,” said Williams. “I don’t have the final figure but, based on the count the last time I checked, he had an insurmountable lead.”
While the Electoral Office of Jamaica assisted with the printing of the ballots, Director of Elections Glasspole Brown told The Gleaner that his team was not involved in the running of the election.
Once the polls were closed and unofficial results began pouring in, the confident Currie was quick to declare victory, stating that, based on the numbers, neither Williams nor any of the other challengers could surpass his tally.
“We did our work in letting the Maroons understand our message, and, for the most part, we have now shown people that we are capable to steer the Maroons’ vision and create the path to driving our own prosperity and economic sustainability,” said Currie. “For far too long now, we have relied on hands that don’t really cater to us and have not put forward practical, applicable solutions on the premise on which you have your treaty.”
The electorate consisted of voters from nine regions in the following breakdown: Accompong Town – 517 voters, White Hall – 350, Cedar Spring – 168, Elderslie – 251, Garlands – 274, Aberdeen – 393, Windsor – 220, Kingston – 243, and Montego Bay – 109.