Whether it is a question of those in power being out of touch or the populace wanting action faster, grassroots activism is here to stay.

Within days of the launch of anti-violence group Rise Above, Bermuda, its Facebook site had more than 2,000 members. A petition against a beach bar at Warwick Long Bay by the Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) has attracted more than 5,000 signatures.

And within days of forming a group to protest the Premier's leadership The Bermudians more than 1,000 people demonstrated outside Cabinet. From rallies to political demonstrations, concerts to petitions, the Island appears to be experiencing a surge of people power.

For BEST chairman Stuart Hayward, the primary cause is one of Government being out of touch.

"There does seem to be a growing realisation that issues and concerns important to members of the public, eg. crime and violence, environmental issues, issues of information and governance, are not being addressed by elected leaders," he said. "This will likely lead to more grassroots activism."

However, whether such groups will rise only to then quickly fade, or whether they will experience a slow burn, really depends on their evolution.

"The life of single-issue groups is often defined by the resolution of the issue. Organisations like the Admiralty House Park Association (AHPA) and Save the Gardens (STG) have little reason to remain in existence once their mission is accomplished," said Mr. Hayward.

The campaigners of Save the Gardens however, recognised there were wider environmental issues at stake however, and this led to the birth of BEST.

"These groups need volunteers with the skills and will to construct and manage websites, produce newsletters, and engage in social networking, such as on Facebook, to reach out to existing and potential supporters," said Mr. Hayward.

The most prominent grassroots groups BEST, Rise Above, Bermuda, Two Words and a Comma and The Bermudians, all have websites.

They enable organisers to keep in touch with supporters at a low cost, and their interactive nature results in valuable feedback and fast galvanisation. When six members of the public decided to demonstrate against the Premier's leadership in June last year, what began as a small group quickly got the support of hundreds of people.

One of the founding members of The Bermudians, as the group came to be known, was Janice Battersbee. She said: "It was not difficult to start the group as there were others that believed the way we did and were willing to come out and show their support. But it really took on a life of its own and turned into something quite unexpected."

Organisers arranged three demonstrations that month to protest Dr. Brown's decision to bring four ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Island without prior consultation with the UK or Bermuda's MPs. "The dissatisfaction was with the leadership of the supposed 'people's' party," said Mrs. Battersbee.

"The Uighur fiasco was, as we stated, 'the straw that broke the camel's back'. After so many years of hearing complaints of how our Government had misused their citizen-given power, it was time to stand up and say, 'Enough is enough'."

The Bermudians burned brightly for a while but then seemed to fade into the background. Mrs. Battersbee admits that on such a small island as Bermuda, there is a danger of activist groups dying out as quickly as they are formed.

"Sadly there are so many 'single issue' groups with the same people involved that it can lead to the inevitable 'burn out'," she said.

"We are aware of efforts to bring these groups under one umbrella so that there is a networking of purpose, but more Bermudians need to become involved. These groups will not be sustainable if we do not stand together, if we continue to compromise for money, power and advantage, or just be uninterested. United we stand, divided we fall."

Perhaps due to the size of the community, Mrs. Battersbee said The Bermudians also found some people were reluctant to demonstrate in public, with some even expressing feelings of intimidation. "Many who agreed with our stand would not come out in full support due to fear of reprisal from the seeming gatekeepers of the supposed 'people's' party," she said. "We saw many Bermudians fearful of making a stand and demanding better for our Island."

She said: "Before we can have a significant effect on Government policies, we must have a significant effect upon each other. We must come to an understanding of love, unity and respect with one another. We must learn to forgive the sins of the past and look toward the future to assisting our Bermudian brothers and sisters to move forward with us. Only then will we have a significant effect on Government policies."

John Barritt, Shadow Minister of Legislative Reform, however believes these groups are sustainable. From fighting a single cause they have evolved into sophisticated lobby groups, he says.

"We will always have protest groups that develop out of, and around, one issue," said Mr. Barritt. "That's a healthy part of our democracy.

"Some may be one-hit wonders once the issue is addressed, the people involved may dissipate. What we are also seeing though, is the development of what I term community lobby groups, who are looking to influence Government policy and decisions on a more sustained and continuing basis.

"I am also thinking of the more established groups like Age Concern for seniors and the Women's Resource Centre, and the Family Centre as well. There is a host of them doing some very good work and collecting not just information, but insight into Bermuda's challenges.

"I very much appreciate and welcome the input of these groups for the experience and expertise they bring to bear. They too have to grapple with the problem of making a sustained effort and not getting stuck on just one issue. I recognise that it is a challenge.

"What I think we as Parliamentarians need to do is change the way in which we conduct the business of the country, to give them more meaningful opportunities to bring this expertise to bear. We should not just limit them to protestation and objection, to sound bites and headlines only, but devise ways for ongoing participation."

Mr. Barritt said this could be achieved through "greater participation in Government advisory boards". He also suggested opportunities for them to address Parliamentary committees, during public hearings into the issues of the day.

Mr. Barritt said: "I do have one concern though with the proliferation of too many protest groups. Bermuda is an island of limited resources, and that includes people. I remind people as often as I can that they also have a civic duty, not just to try and influence decision-makers but to consider taking on that responsibility as well.

"A more direct way to influence decision-making is to actually get involved in politics. That's how you really bring about change. Ultimately there are only two things we politicians understand, and understand very well, and that is power and the loss of power. That is why we have and value democracy. There are these regular periodic opportunities to change the players and the Government."

For Premier Ewart Brown, the growth of grassroots activism is a direct consequence of the Progressive Labour Party coming to power. Both Dr. Brown and former Premier Alex Scott say democracy has flourished under the PLP, as under the previous government they say people were scared of losing their livelihoods by speaking out.

"The Progressive Labour Party has long stood for freedom of speech and for the right of people to express their opinions through community action," said Dr. Brown.

"The willingness of Bermudians in recent years to form organisations, organise marches and protests, and circulate petitions is a direct result of the environment generated by this Government upon assuming power in 1998.

"For years, many felt intimidated and were reluctant to express the full range of their feelings publicly. We are glad that we have progressed beyond that stage in our collective development."

The Premier said: "For community movements to be credible, effective and sustainable, they must display a consistent set of values where they will stand up for their beliefs, regardless of whether it is in reference to action by the Government, the business community, or by any other entity in our society. When we see organisations that 'cherry pick' their priorities we question their motives, their political independence and their agenda."

He added: "We can't help but notice that many of these 'single issue' groups tend to be comprised of many of the same members of other single or double-issue groups, operating under different names.

"Combine this with their tendency to 'cherry pick' issues and it makes you wonder if they interested in improving Bermuda, or on cementing the existing Bermudian divide. "I believe that there are some people in Bermuda who are experiencing a loss of unearned privilege and are expressing that loss in a very public way."

Government MP and former Premier, Alex Scott echoed Dr. Brown's comments.

"People power is something which should be encouraged and applauded. It is these types of initiatives or movements which keep our democracy alive," he said."Some even regard them as a safety valve to avoiding the more destructive and confrontational elements in our society. If you don't have these democratic voices of expression, you can end up with violent outbursts if individuals don't feel they have a vehicle in which they can be heard."

Mr. Scott added: "Some of my political colleagues have the view that the greater public feel freer to speak out now.

"Prior to a PLP Government, individuals felt they could either lose their mortgage or job if they spoke out to protest the government or issues of the day. But also, we have a full-blooded democracy. Times, they are a changing as the song goes, and I think people feel frustrated by the change, and that may have fostered some of the protest movements we have seen."

He said: "It could be argued the PLP itself came into existence as a form of protest, as the 40 Thieves of Front Street were the centre of financial and political power at the time, from the 1950s to 1970s. The PLP provided an opportunity for people to speak out from the safety of a grassroots organisation. They could express themselves through their leaders, branches or the central committee."

Mr. Scott said: "I think the model for protest is well-established and we can expect to see more groups like this springing up. That's a good thing.

"And I think any government which ignores any dissenting voice or grassroots movement does so at their political peril. If you want to stay as a representative of the populace you should be aware of what they support and what they disagree strongly with. So yes, Government must listen to these groups, and these groups by extension have an impact on Government."

He said: "Some of these groups will reflect the flavour of the day and will fade away as supporters lose interest. However, there are other groups which are more substantive and have the opportunity to stand the test of time."

Members of Rise Above, Bermuda and Two Words and a Comma did not wish to comment for this article.