New executives looking to revitalise Diaspora umbrella group NAJASO

As it prepares to mark its 50th anniversary next year, the United States-based National Association of Jamaica and Supportive Organisations (NAJASO) has embarked on a plan to reorganise and strengthen itself in an effort to make it more relevant and adoptable to the changing times. Once considered the pre-eminent Diaspora entity with approximately 200 member organisations serving Jamaicans throughout the Unites States, NAJASO has witnessed a precipitous fall-off in membership in recent years. But now a new executive headed by Dr Patrick Williams — a 30-year veteran community leader and cultural advocate — has been elected with a mandate to improve and reorganise the standing of the organisation. Business executive Dr Roy Davidson, a former NAJASO president, will head its new board. Speaking with the Jamaica Observer, Davidson, who is also the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council representative for the West/Midwest United States, said, “The plans to reorganise and rebuild NAJASO will be far-reaching. One of the things that we are looking at is the engagement of an attorney to examine our constitution to see where, and what changes, if any, might be necessary in the reform process to enhance the relevance of the organisation.” He said one decision that has already been made is to limit the tenure of office holders to two years instead of the current four-year term. According to Davidson, the move will ensure that a more laser-like focus will be placed on achieving the objectives of NAJASO. Davidson pointed out that people will be able to seek re-election for further two-year terms if they desire. He added that part of the plans going forward is for NAJASO to re-establish the Marcus Garvey Heritage Foundation Development Scholarship at The University of the West Indies and scholarships at US institutions as well as return to a programme of assisting Jamaica’s early childhood education sector. “We built two basic schools in the island before and would like to take on that project again,” said Davidson. “Plans are also actively being looked at [for] publishing a second edition of the book, NAJASO - A Catalyst for Change, which chronicles the history of the organisation,” added Davidson as he said this could possibly be done in time for the organisation’s 50th anniversary. Despite the issues which have impacted the operations of NAJASO over recent years, Davidson and Williams believe that it will not be a challenge to get the organisation back to a level at which it can again begin to fulfil its mandate. Davidson said some key members of the Jamaican community in the US might believe that NAJASO may have lost its way as a result of the introduction of the Diaspora Advisory Board in the past and the current Global Diaspora Council (GJDC), but that is far from factual. “Ironically, the Diaspora Advisory Board and its subsequent replacement, the Global Diaspora Council, came out of recommendations from NAJASO to the then Government led by Prime Minister PJ Patterson,” Davidson, a former NAJASO president, told the Observer. He said that there are distinct differences between the roles of the GJDC — which is an advisory body — and NAJASO — which operates as a non-profit tax-exempt umbrella association. Meanwhile, the new NAJASO president said there are also plans to strengthen its membership, expand its engagement across the United States, oversee the development of younger leaders, and deepen collaboration among member organisations ahead of the its 50th anniversary. Sadie Campbell, the long-serving president of the Jamaica Progressive League (JPL), said she welcomes the new push to return NAJASO to the role it was designed to play in developing the Jamaican community in the US. Campbell noted that JPL was one of the early member organisations of NAJASO when it was founded back in 1977. The late Alfred Rattray, Jamaica’s fourth ambassador to the US, is widely credited for conceiving the idea which led to the formation of NAJASO to address issues affecting Jamaican communities across the US and strengthen cooperation among organisations in the Diaspora.