A select number of members recently organized a demonstration opposing the Jamaican government in New York, despite the organization reeling from a fierce rivalry inside the ranks of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC) that has fractured the group and weakened its determination.
The One Jamaica Legal Defense Foundation, formerly a group member aimed at bringing attention to various issues affecting the Diaspora, coordinated the demonstration, which was held in front of the Jamaican Consulate in Manhattan. The Diaspora Task Force on Crime Intervention and Prevention and the Call To Action group were the other organizations in that partnership.
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Speaking at the demonstration on Friday, lawyer Wilfred Rattigan, the leader of the One Jamaica Legal Defense Foundation and a significant figure in the conflict, stated that they were there to provide a voice to those he believes are oppressed Jamaicans who are “suffering from low wages, poor health-care service, corruption, crumbling infrastructure, and poor education”.
“The days of staying silent are over as we are on the cusp of finding change for the people of Jamaica,” he noted.
“The Government would like nothing more but to see us go away, but we are not going anywhere. We may be small in numbers, but we will prevail in unity,” he stated.
Rattigan declared, “We have no issue with our brothers and sisters,” making a blatant allusion to the division inside the organization. Our problem is with the Jamaican government, which has shown weak leadership and a failure to address the issues raised by Jamaicans both domestically and abroad for the past eight years.
In addition to Rattigan, other protest speakers accused the government of not doing enough on several topics. However, one speaker, Jeffrey Tavares, informed demonstrators that, “as a people, we need to come together, offer assistance, and find solutions to the problems affecting us”.
“We need to stand with the Government, even while being critical of their action. We cannot continue to blame the political elites alone, we must play our part as well,” He lamented the level of violent crime in the nation while continuing to debate.
According to Tavares, crime in Jamaica is a problem for all Jamaicans, no matter where they live in the globe.
He cited the August killings at Cherry Tree Lane in Clarendon, which left eight people dead, as proof that the government must take more drastic action to combat crime.
Even with the divisions inside the organization, Dr. Rupert Francis, the co-leader of the opposing GJDC, has pledged to keep pushing the government to address their issues.
“There are sufficient people who believe in what has been started and who want to be a part of our efforts. If it is that we must look at where we are and reorganize, then we will,” he said.
Some prominent members of the People’s National Party, including health spokesman Dr. Alfred Dawes, participated in the rival group’s simultaneous online conference held in June concurrent with the government’s 10th Biennial Conference of the GJDC in Montego Bay, St. James.
Dr. Francis, who expressed regret about the dissolution of what he called, “the most successful and peaceful challenge to any Government of Jamaica in our pursuit of accountability”, had sent the first shot, voicing their concerns in a letter addressed to Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, Audrey Marks, which they subsequently claimed was disregarded.
Nonetheless, Ambassador Marks has stated on record that she was ready to address the issues brought up. The reason that never occurred is unknown.
Francis has attributed the internal strife to “person or persons unknown”, claiming that it would stifle attempts to hold the government accountable for the listed failings.
Herb Nelson, a security specialist, and important member of the competing Diaspora council, acknowledged that there were issues inside the group and claimed that he had been excluded due to “differences of views on the pursuit of and implementation of our objectives.”
One Jamaica Legal Defense Foundation is a non-profit organization that is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Financial concerns over the organization’s use of funds are a significant component in the conflict.
Rattigan established the foundation last year to fund-raise for the rival GJDC’s operations, which include paying for legal fees and logistical setup and transportation for its most recent round of protests.
Rattigan replied by saying that, “every cent raised by the foundation can be accounted for, and in keeping with Federal regulations an audited copy of the financial records of the foundation will be filed and made available for all to see, within the time specified for this to be done”.
Additionally, he promised to “comply with any request for a refund by any contributor to the foundation, as a moral obligation, since legally it is not required”.
Meanwhile, Dr. Francis informed the Observer that he had hired lawyers to sue Rattigan for allegedly defamatory and libelous statements.
At least one individual who was close to the group up until a month ago but did not want to be identified has used a well-known internet forum during the last four weeks to criticize important group members. They have accused some of having political motivations, a charge that has been categorically denied.
