Rastafarians make case for reoccupying Pinnacle lands
Published:Monday | February 3, 2014 | 12:00 AM
The Occupy Pinnacle movement says it is gearing up to reinhabit the historical lands and birthplace of Rastafarianism, 'The Pinnacle', in St Jago Hills.
Robert 'Ras Kaleb' Gordon, leader of the Occupy Pinnacle movement and secretary of the Rastafarian Youth Initiative Council, said yesterday that the movement was on a mission to take back land that "rightfully belongs to them".
Yesterday, members of the Gleaner team toured the land that marked the start of Rastafarianism that gave Jamaica major international recognition through its reggae music and rich cultural practices.
"This is just the beginning of occupying back The Pinnacle, as the lands should be restituted to the Rastafarian community. In 2009, the Rastafari Millennium Council identified six lots and the Government has only declared one to us," Gordon explained.
Gordon pointed out that it would have been better if they had received three out of the six lots identified. However, he said the group would be going after all six lots it says belong to it.
"We are going for more than just the six lots, because there are approximately 473 acres of land that belong to Mr (Leonard) Howell," he added. "What we can get from Jamaica, we will take and what we can't get, we will take to the international courts."
founder of movement
Howell is the founder of the Rastafari movement. He began his work and movement at The Pinnacle.
Like the Maroons who received autonomy, the movement strongly believes they have the right to theirs, seeing that Rastafarianism has done so much for Jamaica as a country and people.
Today will see the first court hearing of the Occupy Pinnacle movement at the Court of Appeal at 9:30 a.m.
On November 13, 2013, Resident Magistrate Vashti Chatoor ruled that Lot 198 at The Pinnacle legally belongs to St Jago Hills Development Company Limited. That was the end of a five-year court battle in which the interests of the Howell family and the Rastafari community were represented by attorney-at-law Barry Frankson.