The Jamaican government has withdrawn the national award it bestowed on popular pastor Merrick ‘Al’ Miller, after public outrage.
Miller was one of the 144 Jamaicans on the list to receive a national award on Heroes Day, October 18. It was announced that he would be bestowed the Order of Distinction (Commander Class).
But after public outrage about Miller being linked to criminal activity, the government has revoked his award.
In 2016, Al Miller was convicted for attempting to pervert the course of justice after then fugitive, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, was found in his company traveling along Mandela Highway in St Catherine.
Speaking on his weekly Saturday morning television program recently, Miller said that the Government should not be blamed for the rescinding of the national award to him.
“… But in the interim, there is the issue of the case in the past and so created some concerns for many, and as a result, I, therefore, responded to the offer and withdrew in the circumstances. So I withdrew and the Government has rescinded it, which is the natural course of action,” said Miller.
“So please don’t think it is the Government (did) that because they simply bowed to pressure. They looked at the situation and I withdrew, and so they did the right thing in the situation, and they rescinded it.
Al Miller also tip-toed around the circumstances which led to the outrage, saying that he was not sorry.
“I did what I did because it was right, and because it is right, I would do it again and keep on doing it. I did it before and I did it then and I will do it again. Now if one considers it an unrepentant attitude, fine, because we must not repent for doing good. Repent when you do wrong,” he stated.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness also announced his intent to overhaul the selection process for the nation’s highest civilian honours following the controversy.
