It is impossible to disagree with the idea of civil action in theory. Such groups are at least making an effort to better the country. Surely, as the old but true cliché goes, it is better to light one candle than curse the dark. Unfortunately many Jamaicans view any talk of ‘citizens action’ with jaundiced cynicism. And who can blame them? Jamaican citizens groups over the years have been long on talk and very short on results.

The Citizen’s Action For Free And Fair Elections, is probably the best known and best funded citizens group of recent times. But CAFFE has been at  most a qualified success. Supporters argue that it has fulfilled well its self-appointed role of election watch dog. The less sympathetic point out that CAFFE has put virtually no pressure on the government to fulfill the promises it made before the 1997 national elections. Millions were spent supposedly to cross match fingerprints, clean up voters lists and create universal voter id cards. To date none of this has been accomplished.

The 1997 elections may have been reasonably free and fair. But the electoral process reeked of unconscionable haste and sheer incompetence. Yet CAFFE did not call for resignations and made very little noise about the vast discrepancy between the money spent on improving the voting process and the pitiful improvements actually seen. Perhaps too much was expected of CAFFE. But then people should not make bold promises unless they intend to keep them.

Citizens For Civil Society has gotten huge press coverage with its confrontational stance towards political figures. But CFCS seems to have more money than sense and started talking before thinking. Its entire platform was a demand for the resignation of the justice minister, the finance minister and the opposition leader. It spent huge amounts on advertisements criticizing the government’s crime and economic policies, but articulated no intelligent alternatives.

Had CFCS called for a rally of uptowners in downtown as a way of demonstrating national solidarity, it might have gained an effective preliminary legitimacy and attracted more than a mere handful to its  marches. Did anyone really imagine that the country’s toiling black masses would spontaneously rally behind a rich brown used car salesman? By rashly dissipating so much energy and money in a comic opera farce, CFCS is only helping to discredit the entire idea of change through civil action.

This is a shame, because Jamaica will never fulfill its potential unless ordinary citizens become more involved in national affairs. But citizens groups are only useful if they take on concrete issues and pursue them to resolution. The road to national hell is paved with good intentions and pointless marches.

Ironically, the oldest and most effective national citizens group in the country – Citizens Initiative Organization – is perhaps the least known. It is not even mentioned in “Combating Corruption in Jamaica : A Citizen’s Guide” which lists CAFFE, the Chamber of Commerce, Citizens For Civil Society, Impact Jamaica, Jamaicans For Justice, the Private Sector of Jamaica and Transparency International.

This low profile is partially due to CIO’s focus on getting things done rather than getting things said. As president Vernon Derby points out, it does not even have a head office. Started by a number of community leaders over six years ago, the group includes citizens associations and neighbourhood watch groups from areas such as Fletchers Land, Red Hills, New Kingston, Seymore Lands and Renfied Drive. Like many other civil groups, it started with a public meeting and protest, marching from Halfway Tree to Cross Roads. But CIO has done more than just make noise.

They have made extensive presentations on issues like electoral reform, crime, constitutional reform and police excesses. They have also helped numerous individuals with community related problems and given assistance to many organizations seeking assistance. When addressing a problem CIO makes it a point of policy not merely to criticize but to make specific recommendations. Among other things CIO has

• Assisted Dino bus owners to recover approximately JAD 70M dollars for defective buses bought through the San Jose Accord.
• Made recommendations to government along with the National Consumers League for a new transportation system.
• Worked with the Nannyville Gardens Citizens Associations in lobbying for their land titles.
• Assisted citizens associations in Bull Bay in lobbying for the removal of squatters, lobbying against the proposed system to dispose effluent into the sea, and lobbying for security changes in the area.
• Assisted in the formation of an association to represent security guards.
• Participated and organized forums on constitutional reform.
• Provided public exposure for the opinions of community leaders - that is leaders of citizens associations and neighbourhood watch groups.
• Lobbied for the non-commercialization of residential areas.
• Met with a number of national leaders and organizations including the Governor General, the Commissioner of Police, the Jamaica Council of Churches, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce to discuss national issues.

CIO’s preference for performance over publicity is indeed admirable. But a higher media profile for CIO would encourage public confidence in the efficacy of civil action societies. Mr. Derby (who incidentally is a former radio announcer, comic and actor going back to ‘Mas Ran’ days) feels that one problem is a class bias in media coverage.

“If CIO was meeting at Pegasus every month, you can bet we would be on TV and in the newspapers regularly. As it is we have never even had a profile done on the group. Is it because we consist mostly of ordinary working class Jamaicans? I don’t wish to sound boastful, but the facts show that CIO has gotten more real results from our actions than any other citizens group in the country. Frankly, I think the lack of attention paid to us shows disrespect for the poor people of Jamaica.

I admire Mr. Vaz’s energy and courage in taking a public stand. But if CFCS had used even a fraction of its money to organize citizens groups across the nation and come up with a national position on what we want from the government, it might well have changed the face of Jamaican politics. People are certainly fed up with our politicians and many do want to get involved. But no citizens action can be successful if it does not propose solutions and garner support from all sectors of the nation.”