Social Development Committees Conference – The Governance Framework: “The Pathway to Local Economic Development” – TIME NOW!

The Social Development Committee (SDC) is the principle agency responsible for building and strengthening civil society organizations’ to participate in national development processes.   It works with 84 communities within Jamaica at 4 governance levels: Parish Development Committee (PDC) is a network of organizations, which coordinates and monitors local development processes at the parish/jurisdictional level. Development Area Committees (DAC) represents a cluster of communities called development areas, made up of stakeholders such as private sector, non-profit organizations and key government agencies.  Community Development Committee (CDC) is a body that determines and pursues common interests’ specific to a community, and provides the voice for supporting citizens’ participation in local governance.  Community Based Organizations (CBO) are voluntary groups within a community/district such as youth groups, citizen associations, environmental or health-related groups that represent a special interest or segment in a community. 

The Local Government Reform Act has become a national initiative that is guiding SDC’s mandate to developing strong functional communities and their involvement in decision-making, citizens’ concerns and overall governance practices.  The issue is that after more than 17 years, the Local Government Reform is still under review, requiring further consultations before it could even be tabled in Parliament and considered as legislation.  The significance of the Act is to formally declare Parishes in Jamaica as Municipal Corporations, who would deliver specific local services and follow regulatory requirements, in addition to maintaining good governance, sustainable local development and maintenance of civic order within their respective jurisdictions.  Provisions would be made to confer legal recognition on Community Based Organizations to become local authorities and be responsible for preparing Local Sustainable Development Plans and promoting/facilitating physical, social and economic development within their local areas.  For example, currently CDCs cannot open a bank account because committees cannot register for a Tax Return Number (i.e. unique identification number assigned to individual taxpayer, business or organization needed to perform any transactions with institutions such as banks, schools, government agencies) and so it is very difficult to raise any capital without being formally registered.  Since CDCs can’t register as a committee, people must volunteer on an individual basis, and so pursuing collective development interests within a community is limited and frustrating.

This description provides the main features of the Local Governance Reform Act, and is the basis for the series of consultations taking place across the 13 Parishes (i.e. districts in Canadian terms), in which the discussion has shifted to promoting the need for social entrepreneurship, and national integrity that draws away from corruption, towards strengthening governance practices.  As part of my strategic planning work for how AIR can provide expertise and capitalize on the partnerships, I had the privilege of taking part in two of the sessions, in Manchester (town of Mandeville) and St. James (Montego Bay city) parishes.  In this blog, I wanted to showcase some of the great work that is coming from Jamaican citizens who have taken it up

on themselves to push for change!  From my participation and the discussions that transpired, it was clear that communities have had enough and are taking action on their own terms.  This is being done through public advocacy and the signing of a petition to speed up the process of formalizing CDCs, and pushing Parliament to table the Local Government Reform Act!

 It was evident that necessity and struggle has driven Jamaicans to become natural entrepreneurs and if Jamaica is to ever change its fate, it is through structured and accountable community development and social entrepreneurship initiatives.  The Rastafari Indigenous Village (www.rastavillage.com) located in Montego Bay is one of those examples.  Community persons developed a partnership to acquire a land, and received support to promote a cultural village in Jamaica that nurtures Rastafarian perspectives.  Individuals can stay at the cultural village and be part of the creative industry, which includes a history of Rastafarians heritage and the struggles of the culture in Jamaica, as well as a taste for music and food, among other Jamaican experiences. 

SDC has been provided with the permission to act on pushing the Local Governance Reform Act, and the communities have decided that they won’t wait anymore - Time is Now!!