CAFFE is a voluntary civic organisation. Its officers and volunteers are persons who are dedicated to the objective of preserving the democratic process by ensuring free and fair elections.
Before assigning volunteers to monitor elections, CAFFE conducts training sessions to ensure that the volunteers who observe the process know what should and should not be done. These volunteers provide reports which are available for examination by CAFFE’s Board which use them to make recommendations for improving and strengthening the system and practices.
CAFFE’s advocacy role is to make criticisms of wrongful conduct and bad practices and to encourage fairness and good governance in electoral matters. CAFFE also encourages reform of the law and has taken part in the deliberations and formulation of recommendations regarding campaign financing and registration of political parties.
From time to time CAFFE and its officers issue public statements on constitutional and electoral issues. CAFFE is now launching a project for the establishment of Democracy Clubs in Schools throughout Jamaica.
A volunteer has only to sign a Form and pledge his or her support for the objectives of CAFFE. To be an Observer in a Polling Division, the volunteer should normally be 18 years old but volunteers of 17 years have been deployed with their parents’ or guardians’ written consent.
In all other activities, there is no age qualification.
