Jamaica and the world itself are rapidly changing. These changes are forcing us to adopt new strategies for community and national development. Innovative methods will have to be developed which move us towards a future of redevelopment, empowerment, and governance for our local communities. In this context the role of Community-based Organizations (CBOs) is extremely important. These organizations will have many problems confronting them. Their effectiveness will depend on how they overcome the skepticism of policy makers and community residents and how they actively implement projects that recognize our changing environment. In the end, it is at the local community level where the actions occur and where the development agenda must be set.

The central concern of this research is the question of legitimacy of CBOs in Jamaican politics. The quickly expanding literature on CBOs has addressed the question of legitimacy only in recent times and often in terms of financial accountability and effectiveness rather than focusing on the role of CBOs in community development and governance. As a consequence this paper is inspired by my own experience in CBO advocacy. It argues that CBOs can play a pivotal role in for community development and governance in Jamaica.

The University of the West Indies
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