Queen Nanny of the Maroons (Jamaican $500 bill)

Quao’s Act gave the Jamaican Maroons, freedom and autonomy to govern their lives and community, independent of the Jamaican or any other external government. This Act positions them in a very unique socioeconomic and cultural space–where land taxes are not paid, as is the case of  the Moore Town and Scots Hall Maroons, and until recently, the Charles Town Maroons, through their Council,  policed their community and tried criminals in indigenous courts for all crimes, except murder.

Respect Yourself, Know Your Rights, JFJ

My education workshop on socioeconomic rights and justice, facilitated at Asafu Yard in Charles Town (Buff Bay), Portland on Saturday, March 7, 2009 was rather inspiring. Discussions revealed a desire to lobby for the reinstatement of the Maroon Police and Judicial System as a solution to community crime  and police brutality. The arguments in favor of this system included:

1. Need to curtail petty crimes, especially theft, which has become a nuisance to residents, and is perpetuated by residents from within the community,
2. Need to protect young men from the community who are frequently abused by the state police during community patrols,
3. Need to re-establish their right to autonomous governance over certain matters, as laid out by Quao’s Act,
4. Need to re-establish an effective, accountable, and transparent police and judicial system, which is respectful of Maroon rights and culture,
5. Need to elevate meritocratic and servant leadership models as the acceptable governance styles and practices–these are in stark contrast to the elective approach, typical of partisan politics and the appointment of the Member of Parliament.

Quao's Act, Jamaica

Captain Richard Irving, leader of the young farmer’s association is hailed by Colonel Frank Lumsden as a true servant leader–he strives to build the community; is dedicated to the growth of people; is aware of his strengths and capabilities, as well as the strengths of others; is futuristic; persuasive; has foresight; is a confidante; healer; listener. In plain language, he gives selflessly to Charles Town.

Maroon Museum (side view) from Asafu Yard

With such leaders sitting on the Maroon Council, Charles Town intends to advocate for the reinstatement of their police and justice system. Participants at the workshop commenced preliminary discussions about the ensuing community mobilization, advocacy and policy development activities that would be required–The idea of working collectively to solve local security challenges and justice issues was endorsed and encouraged by George Williams, Justice of the Peace in Charles Town and Pastor at a local church. He articulated confidence in the Maroon Council’s ability to provide accountable and transparent leadership, which he says is currently a dream in contemporary Jamaican politics.

A Dedication to Maroon Culture: Asafu Yard and Museum

Through my workshops, I attempt to encourage community leaders to participate actively in the governance process–something the Maroon Council has been doing since the 17oos, when Jamaica was a slave outpost. Maroon sovereignty resulted in the establishment of an indigenous governance system, which predates Jamaica’s independence by almost 200 years. With the passing of time and changes in the socioeconomic and political dynamics of Jamaica and the world, the Maroon Council has lost much of its influence and strength,  resulting in growing non-compliance to decisions and judgments and increased interventions by state police in local issues.

Musket used in Maroon War, Jamaica

The Justice of the Peace believes that Charles Town residents are resilient and creative people who, through their rich history, have provided model leadership and governance–unmatched in Jamaica today. National Heroine Nanny of the Maroons is an icon of African femininity in the West–her cauldron, which is still a source of Maroon inspiration, warms the spirits of today’s leaders, Colonel Lumsden and Captain Irving, who desire to demonstrate, through the Maroon Council, a model community governance system.

Nanny's Cauldron was deadly to Redcoates, but protected Maroons

If the community residents and leaders cannot access their Parish Council, which was created to lead parish and local development, then how can we guarantee the realization of our fundamental rights and freedoms as citizens?  The lack of realization of one right inhibits the ability to realize others, as such residents who are affected by bad roads, crime, poor transportation, limited food, and inadequate shelter are unable to live in full human dignity. If we are to realize the MDGs, Parish Councils and citizens must work together and respect each other!

In October 2008, internal and external leaders of Albion in St. Thomas (Jamaica) were mobilized to my Advocacy Planning Workshop (APW) to discuss critical issues to be addressed by community-based organizations (CBOs) as they prepared themselves for the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Key among the items were the need to: Acquire land for the development of a community center and multipurpose sporting complex; Improve police patrols in order to curtail the rise in petty crimes (break-ins and theft); Resurface roads; Bush empty lots; Control the development of informal settlements in adjoining areas; Control land erosion and flooding from Cow Bay; and Fence the pump house that supplies water to the community.

Mr. Ishmael Robertson, who represented the Member of Parliament, Hon. James Robertson, his son, articulated that the Secretary Manager of the St. Thomas Parish Council had portfolio responsibility for addressing the majority of the issues raised. He lamented the absence of that office and advised leaders to write a letter to them expressing extreme disappointment and the need for a meeting to address the issues raised.

From my experience on the Social and Economic Justice (SEJ) Project, I have not seen the Secretary Manger or any other representative of that office make an effective attempt to participate in or address issues of community development. I have worked in four unique communities: Albion Mountain, Albion, Morant Bay, and Springfield, and not once have they responded to our invitation to meet the leaders of the community and work with them in changing experiences of injustice.

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APWs were designed to sensitize leaders about advocacy, leadership, networking, group development, and communications, so that they would be better prepared to contribute meaningfully to community development.

In light of this the SEJ Project sought to:

1. Educate community residents about human rights,
2. Gather primary data about their living situations and experiences realizing ESR, and
3. Equip residents with the skills necessary to participate in and execute advocacy and community mobilization.

The slideshow below shows residents of local communities actively engaged in advocacy to national leaders about ESR–the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Alvin McIntosh and the Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles–of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in July 2008. Community leaders got an opportunity to articulate needs, challenges, and fears in relation to disability rights, youth unemployment, limited access to credit, etc. They were informed of the new initiatives and plans of the Ministry in addressing some of the issues that they raised.

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My initial workshop with residents was attended by approximately 30 persons and was held at a public venue, a basic school sitting at the foot of Waricka Hill. My follow-up workshop was only attended by 6, half of whom traveled from outside of the community from their temporary places of rescue because of what was then a new round of violence and death in the community.  At the workshops residents expressed haunting fear and frustration with living their lives in containment or continuous chaos on account of violence. By the time of our third workshop, we were hosting the session in the living room of a resident, which was attended by 20 persons.

Basic School in Rockfort sits at the foot of Waricka Hill

I tried to extend the intervention in Rockfort beyond the youth club, which we originally targeted, but subsequent to my offer to the Rockfort Development Council (RDC) we felt they needed to do more work on community mobilization. The Social and Economic Justice (SEJ) Project was presented as an intervention aiming at contributing to the empowerment of residents to claim their rights at different levels, but the Council articulated a need for us to use the Project for community mobilization by adapting it for skits and plays. Though I felt that that the use of human rights content in plays was a good idea, especially for community mobilization, I had to agree when my core Project stakeholders objected to the idea, on the basis of: lack of resources, absence of previous planning, and its deviation from our original intention. This contributed to the discontinuation of my work in the community, especially because we had exceeded the time that we had agreed on to execute the intervention.

In the more than two years that I spent in the community, I really forged some great friendships, especially with some wonderful young men who protected me throughout my service there. We are still in touch and we plan on having a face-to-face discussion to talk about and record their experiences as male youth growing-up and raising families in Rockfort.

Homes and Waricka Hill in Rockfort

Rockfort Community (Water) Tank and the dreaded Waricka Hill

In this video, we heard accusations from the Police that there is a lack of will by the political representatives to control their area. From my conversations with friends, I understand that the problem is truly one of infighting. It’s like implosion. Residents say that all that’s needed to put things in order is for the Member of Parliament (MP) to show up and straighten things out, as all the ‘warriors’ respect him. They also said that his absence from the community has been long and progressive, which they profess is a frightening situation, especially knowing that he is a son of Rockfort. They lament that his nativity should stimulate him to care more than the average MP, but they say that his absence shows that he is no more sympathetic.

Rockfort- in view of Waricka Hill, water tank, and food stall

As a I toured the community, I was shown bullet holes, burnt homes, abandoned buildings and homes, the football field, the spring, and the infamous Waricka Hill, which was dreaded by residents because they say that it serves as a key access point for ‘warriors’ entering and leaving the community. We witnessed abandonment, unemployment, hopelessness, fear, and of course there was some glimmer of hope in the faces of little children playing on one street/lane. There is need for infrastructural development, education and skills training, sports development, and multi-sectoral support and attention.

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The Police in charge of the Area and ACP John McLean, head of the Community Policing Department informed me, in an advocacy meeting with them and community representatives, that they are ready and willing to support community development interventions such as ours–the SEJ Project of Jamaicans for Justice. They and residents who participated in our Project endorsed the need for community development in light of the needs expressed above, but for the time being Rockfort’s residents will have to go from door to door and seek broad-based support for unity and an end to violence, before the social development agencies will feel comfortable enough to want to be there to assist with development and growth.

Section of basic school playground and Waricka Hill, Rockfort

Rockfort- view of homes and empty streets that were once lively