My best friend is the man who, in wishing me well, wishes it for my sake.- Aristotle
Political Ombudsman and head of the Peace Management Initiative, Bishop Herro Blair, plays with a baby while her mother looks on, during a tour of Mountain View, St Andrew, last year July.- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, is one of the most visible and influential leaders in Jamaica.
He first came to public prominence during the s when he built the Faith Deliverance Centre at Waltham Park Road in St Andrew. A pastor for more than 38 years, Bishop Blair has been helping to transform the lives of persons from inner-city communities surrounding the church.
His involvement in politics began in the s when he served as spiritual adviser to then Prime Minister Edward Seaga, and in the mids, when he became chairman of the newly formed National Democratic Movement.
strong activism
His strong activism and public leadership led to his appointment as Political Ombudsman in July by then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson. Bishop Blair is also chairman of the National Peace Management Initiative (PMI), which was established in
Blair is right: We created Dudus
Bishop Herro Blair might not have a degree in sociology or history, and he might even sound like Christopher Columbus in making the discovery of the century, given that one can't find something that was well known before. Yet, I totally agree with him as he addressed the West Kingston commission of enquiry last week. Speaking emphatically, he declared that dons were "created" and "some of us in society" are responsible "for what we face today".
Let us start at the beginning. There is a set of know-it-alls who never bothered to look at our history or the demographic data but are experts on the causes of our social ills. So, there is the eternal dialogue about female-headed households, absentee fathers and the breakdown of families. Then there is the grand narrative about poverty, undereducation and unemployment fuelling crime.
However, when we look at the don of all dons, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, he does not fit any of those stereotypes. Indeed, he had a solid relationship with his ever-present father and clearly would have been socialised by him. The elder Lester Lloyd Coke, better known as Jim Brown, was another of the foundation area
Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
Bishop Herro Blair
BISHOP HERRO Blair can point to hundreds of lost souls he has helped save during his four decades as a clergyman. But even the year-old preacher will admit that his tenure as Political Ombudsman has not been as successful.
Blair, who was appointed to the post by then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in July , has been working overtime to maintain peace in areas where political tribalism reigns. His job has become tougher since July 8 when Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced August 27 as the date for the general election.
Last Friday, Blair was in Woodford Park in east Kingston. Besides comforting the family of Sanjay Ebanks who was shot and killed there by gunmen the previous evening, Blair appealed to residents for calm.
Increased tension
Ebanks, 27, was campaign manager for Joan Gordon-Webley, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) candidate for St. Andrew South East. His death increased tension in a constituency which has been under the gun for almost two months.
At the time of Ebanks' death, Blair was preparing to review controversial statements by People's National Party (PNP) General Secretary Donal
That could have been me, says teary-eyed Bishop Blair after Al Miller&#;s sentencing
Moments after Parish Judge Simone Wolfe Reece declared that she would not be sending convicted pastor Reverend Al Miller to prison, another clergyman, Herro Blair, wiped tears from his eyes.
Blair was among the people who packed the courtroom at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for Miller's sentencing, almost two months after he was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
"I felt that could have been me," Blair told The Gleaner outside the court after Wolfe Reece said instead of a custodial sentence, she was imposing a fine of $1 million or 12 months in prison.
READ: Al Miller gets $1 million fine or 12 months in prison
IN PHOTO: Rev Al Miller arrives for court ahead of his sentencing.
Miller's conviction arose from an incident in when then fugitive Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was found travelling in his vehicle along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine.
The pastor claimed he was taking Coke to the United States Embassy to surrender to American authorities.
“I had, literally first option to take him in,” B
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