Dear Editor,
As a loyal citizen of Jamaica, I am now adding my voice to the many who, over the past six years, have expressed opinions one way or the other on the arrest and subsequent trial and conviction of Rev Merrick “Al” Miller for perverting the course of justice.
The trial is finally over, and there has been a collective sigh of relief on the part of many that this good man has been liberated from a crushing burden that he has been obliged to carry — unfairly, I might add.
Public opinions have differed as to whether or not he broke the law of the land on the fateful day that he was caught transporting Christopher “Dudus” Coke and Miller has been called every name in the book. He has suffered the scorn and disdain of countless numbers, including fellow members of the clergy.
The remarks were directed not only at him, but at anyone who dared to believe otherwise, who dared to express the opinion that this clergyman was merely seeking to make his contribution to the desperate efforts that were being made at the national level by the security forces and the Government of the day to bring peace and safety back to a society that was being ravaged by chaos and violence.
Miller’s trial would have broken a weaker, lesser man; a man who did not truly know his God, and who did not have confidence in his own honesty and integrity.
Bishop Herro Blair has spoken. In anguished tones he recounted the true events that led up to that now notorious day in June 2010. As he chronicled the facts, it became clear that Reverend Miller had — to use two cliches — been thrown under the bus or had been hung out to dry. In view of the fact that Bishop Blair was called as a witness for the defence, one is led to wonder what evidence existed against the pastor that he would still be found guilty?
For those family members and supporters who had been battered along with him during the agony of six years of torturous court appearances and court delays, this outcome was still one worthy of rejoicing and celebration, because the pastor had been spared incarceration.
But dare I say this is a pyrrhic victory?
This man, who had come to be respected by his fellow citizens as a selfless servant, who loved his nation, and was passionate to see it succeed, has been dragged through the mud, a process that has seriously damaged his reputation and has brought pain to him, his family, his congregations, and his friends. He has had to find the millions of dollars for the fees needed to pay for a defence by reputable counsel, and he has lost countless hours of his life, which would otherwise have been used in profitable pursuit of his mission on behalf of the kingdom of God.
And so, my question is, now what? Who has the courage to say that this is not alright, that this is not good enough? Is there anyone who will join me in such a petition? As an onlooker, as an ordinary citizen who has no ulterior motive, but who believes that a gross injustice has been perpetrated against a good man, I am not satisfied. In Jamaican terms, “Dis cyan jus dun suh!”
Fay Howard
Manchester
Dats y Ja cnt better cause ppl in certain place or position CANNOT and WILL NOT go prison when dem do wrong. So u only a tell di nxt man fi do di same an so on so forth….all dis ass-ole now bout “AL spend up millions weh him Cuda put to better use” Di judge shuda do him like kartel an wait till him spend out most a him gain then slap him wid a 8yrs sentence mek him go preach to who him condone.
Rest assured is a damn Christian who believe Jesus Christ in charge of everything including blowing breath write this shit of a letter.
Al Miller should be in a prison cell for being a god damn traitor and accessory to a criminal enterprise. We have rapist Blair to prove that men of the cloth are nasty bloodcla##ts, glory and amen to dat rass
Ms Howard him is a man of God as him seh suh him shoulda never get caught up in this mess- me want to know why him? is because di evil doers dem did know how him stay from di getguh, dem knew him constitution was as fake and as rotten as some a dem plastic battam dem guh round(Hapsells mi nahn throw no wud fi u dear), him did know what him doing- him is a dyum liar and should be in jail beside him sidekick. These so called men of the cloth nowadays are just as evil as di devil himself. U muss be a loyal fallarah wid all bout ten piece a wool covah u yei, hope it come dung soon or before it too late..God guh wid unu and unu continued defense for these blatantly wicked and evil people inna jamdung. Selfless servant mi big toe—God finally show him up, and him going to show him up again- what will be u excuse fi him then?
De next show up is him love of young batty.
Met,unno can stay dere mek al Miller fool unno bout him lose gun picking plums.it’s well known in the streets a dudus cronies tek whey al gun and cell phone!