BY PASTOR AL MILLER

“Greetings!

 As many of our readers know, we have taken a different approach to the COVID-19 pandemic than many of the cultural, and mainstream media has. We will not coerce, manipulate, or present information to you that has not been verified, researched and accredited. We have spent the last year and a half sifting through articles, peer reviewed research papers, talking to the leading experts in their fields, finding ways to ensure that you have all the information you need to make educated, and self guided decisions for your family.

Not all of our readers agree with our direction, but it is important that during this time of our history, we document all the stories, not just stories that are bought and paid for by the government. We are the voice of the people, and we will continue to present you with the information needed to TAKE BACK YOUR FREEDOM!

I would like to present to you, Reverend Al Miller (aka, the Nation’s Pastor). He represents thousands of citizens, Pastors, Doctors, Lawyers, Educators and other professionals in Jamaica, and we want to present an article to you that they will not print in Jamaica, and for good reason. I take pride in introducing to you ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!.”

Simone Jennifer Smith
Chief Reporter/ Operations Manager TCN

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Thanks for the tremendous efforts in guiding and working to protect our nation in this challenging COVID-19 season. WE APPRECIATE the hard and timely work. You have carefully led us in observing the protocols with all attempts to control the spread. By and large, with just a few exceptions, our people have responded well. We have admirably satisfied the international requirements.

BUT PLEASE DO CONSIDER! IT IS TIME TO CHANGE OUR APPROACH.

The sustained recommended lockdowns have caused great pressure and great problems. But creating a problem to solve a problem is not the best wisdom. Our people’s trust levels are waning. Frustration levels are rising. Wisdom says, change now. WE MUST PUT JAMAICA FIRST!

Many first world policy makers’ solutions are not practical for developing nations. They often enforce them for their own benefit. Tough questions now have to be asked. Whose interest is being served? To whose tune are we dancing? Is it some external force, or our own? Whose agenda are we following? Ours, or that of conventions and treaties, signed in favour of the big nations?

The suffering is great on our people. Greater on our children, the poor, small businesses, musicians, and sports persons and lower level workers across all industries. Hustlers (informal entrepreneurs) are all but totally disabled, along with their informal economy which represents bread and butter activity for hundreds of thousands.

The nation can take no more lockdowns. We are losing more than we gain by such action. It is no longer necessary, not beneficial, not just, not wise, not productive. We can be protective of our people and on the offensive against the virus, at the same time. It is being done elsewhere. Nations are now opening up (Mexico, Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Aruba, Britain, France, Croatia….).

We have followed, read all and listened to all media; those closely aligned to the system and the independents and we NOTE, the censorship of those who don’t carry the narrative of the status quo. Truth, integrity and honest reporting we cherish, in a free democracy but it seems scarce on this subject. Regardless, what is clear is, there are better options.

We are not unmindful of the international pressures that are often put on developing nations, some we have to stoutly resist for our good. This is one such occasion where we must now say ENOUGH is ENOUGH. We have long passed external control and abhor any return from any source. Freedom is our choice. Open contending views for best wisdom is necessary now. Everything can look good, sounds good until it is challenged. Truth can always stand any test.

We the people are EMPOWERING you to say NO to further lockdowns, seek national consensus and let’s TOGETHER devise the best methods for our national realities going forward.

We the people trusted you and voted you as our Jamaican Parliament and government. We did not elect the World Health Organization (WHO) or the United Nations (UN) or any other external entity. Those are support mechanisms, not our rulers or dictators. No independent nation can give up their sovereignty to external entities. We the people gave no such authority. The above groups and others must respect this right and freedom.

Since when can we leave our destiny and best interest to the dictates of forces that have never been known historically to prioritize our cause. Their track record consistently shows self-interest, using lies and deception.

When since those who seek to oppress for their own ends have ever spoken the truth of their intent? It was always denied and called ‘conspiracy theories’ We have not heard of their Damascus Road change experience. Inducing fear for control, along with dangling or withdrawing  ‘goodies’ as rewards or consequences, has been their consistent methods.  Suppression of information and opposing voices, threats, use of force, denial of freedoms, are not new to us, ‘ole time something come back again.’

PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS, WE STAND WITH YOU TO PUT JAMAICA FIRST.

Here are our arguments to the external pressures:

Firstly, world political ideology of power for control and the commercial philosophy of domination for control share a common goal. Where there are mutual benefits, temporary alliances are easily formed to achieve the goal and then divide the spoils, to the detriment of developing nations. This seems to be now occurring.

Secondly, they tell us; follow the science! Whose science?

Science of convenience to an agenda, OR science of: objectivity, balance, honesty and truth? Pure science can stand up to contending views and evidence.

The science of the creator is consistent, orderly and when understood, it is for development and advancement never for enslavement, but for freedom.

Science is never in conflict with God’s Word or humanity’s best welfare. Science is God’s creative genius of the earth for man’s survival. Man’s abuse causes problems, not its use.

There is evidence of tested proven medical protocols being successfully used by leading doctors that reduce hospitalizations and deaths. Using both known and proven existing medication and alternative medicine. Should we not explore and allow this, informing and giving freedom of choice?

Should not all medications that can help be approved and the society be educated on options available?  Isn’t it a citizen’s right to emergency care, or to try ANY therapeutic measures that could possibly SAVE lives and alleviate suffering?

Doesn’t the principle of the Helsinki Accord and the Hippocratic Oath of medical personnel not consider it unethical and immoral to deny the sick and dying patients a known therapeutic measure that has proven promise to save life and alleviate suffering.

Let us together, as a nation apply ATTACK as the approach to COVID and not a continued defensive one to our detriment.

We can beat COVID-19 by honest dialogue on optional ways to overcome. A different approach must now be engaged, as is being done elsewhere. This new approach could engender hope.

It is always a danger when people begin to lose faith in a system or process. Leaders take charge before more disastrous effects take place. Let’s not dance to anyone else’s music! Let’s create and dance to our own ‘riddim’ for Covid’s defeat.

There is a limit to how much a person can bear before negative responses and effects trips in. Our nation is at that limit. We have borne it for 15 months.

We have been understanding and gracious, giving the benefit of the doubt in many questionable situations. Our people and their children’s education have suffered setbacks and hardships. The lockdowns can be contributing to increased domestic abuse, sexual abuse and crime. The greatest impact is on the poor, it cannot continue like this. THERE IS OTHER WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE SAME ENDS!

BY PASTOR AL MILLER

In crisis, it is acceptable to have more questions than answers. … In crisis, we should all be learners. H.R.H. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands

These are difficult and dark days for the world from the effects of COVID-19! It is a virus, which some say is a man-made dilemma unleashed on us. Some expect the vaccine to bring a ray of hope. Others believe it will not end the dilemma any time soon. Many fear that it could create its own crisis.

Is there a ray of real hope? Yes, there is! Mankind, with God’s help, has survived many epidemics, pandemics, and wars. Some of those disasters had much greater levels of devastation. In the days of the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King, one of the songs that kept hope alive in the worst of times was the anthem, “We Shall Overcome.”

We too shall overcome this COVID crisis and sooner than later, if we unite in our own interest, apply critical thinking, analyse everything; take right responsible action; break the fear barriers and take an offensive approach, WE SHALL OVERCOME!

Fought too long and hard to give up
Our forefathers fought long and hard for our freedom. They took a stand for our rights, for justice, for independence, for self-government and the ability to choose and chart our own destiny.

Bob Marley penned this concept and sang:

Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny,

And in this judgement there is no partiality.

(Brother, you’re right,) you’re right,

You’re right, you’re right, you’re so right!

We gonna fight (we gon’ fight), fighting for our rights!

We must not surrender our rights to anybody, internally or externally, for any price. Unfortunately, too many weak leaders in other countries around the world are content to hand over on a platter the liberties and legacy earned by the blood, sweat and tears of their forefathers. We cannot follow them! They are handing hard earned rights over to the sons of our oppressors and neo-colonial enslavers for a loaf of bread or simple pride of place. No! No! We Jamaicans cannot be of that ilk!

Positive Action Time!
COVID has devastated our nation on many fronts; frustration levels are high; the education of our children is being compromised. Business, social and economic life is waning. No longer can we as leaders and citizens simply observe the process, take a fatalistic approach, or sit back and fasten your seat belts and hope for the best. It is action time. It is time for an aggressive, objective, and offensive approach.

I must applaud our Government and their team of elected officials and civil servants for a continued excellent job in dealing with the COVID crisis. They have carefully and ably led us in observing the protocols and the dictates of external powers. This has been useful.  However, that approach has been primarily a defensive approach, which has never and can never win a game or a war. Victory only comes by the offensive approach. You must attack to defeat or sit back and be defeated.

I pose it to the Hon. Prime Minister of Jamaica and fellow citizens that the recommended passive defensive approach to date, after one year of Covid’s negative and destructive impact on our nation and world, may suit and serve the interest of our oppressors, but not us!

The defensive approach serves only their interest, as they are the sole beneficiaries of this status quo. It certainly has not worked for us. The evidence is evident; rising cases of infected citizens, death tolls climbing, medical services being overwhelmed and consequently negatively impacting on other medical cases (look no further than the precious seventeen year old who died from an asthma attack).

Evidence for current status quo is flawed!
A preponderance of evidence shows many international organizations, companies, interest groups and their spokespersons have demonstrated the consistent inconsistency in the status quo arguments. There have been repeated double standards; the withholding and hiding of valuable information; denials of obvious truth. We have all seen conflict of interests and excessive attempts to censor and suppress any opposing or alternative opinions. This drives suspicion that all is not right in the current status quo camp!

Integrity of information, motives and actions seem suspect. After a year and little change, it is time for open forums to discuss the contending views and shape a path with the support of the people. That’s what free democracy is about. We cannot alter when it suits. Principles stand and must inform all areas of governance at all times.

All knowledge and wisdom does not rest only in one narrow camp of a few minds. History and experience have shown that whenever a position rejects, silences or discredits any alternative view, something is not right. Truth can always stand up to questions and scrutiny.

I must speak; we all must!
It is an accepted fact that the efforts of our Government in this crisis are sincere. No sane government would govern with the motive to destroy or annihilate their citizens. Our government is not insane.

But an equal fact of governance is the difficulty they face in trying to hold everything in balance: to keep the economy going with the least disruption; while having to observe international agreements, honour international arrangements and world accepted protocols.

Governments sometimes have to support the narrative of their alliances and their related leadership, which in many cases can be questionable. These external alliances, forces and loud voices cannot be always trusted to speak truth. For it is not always that our interests, as a small developing nation, are their interests.

Therefore, I am obligated in my office as a Pastoral leader for the people of my nation, to raise and address some concerns that affect their best welfare. You also are obligated as a business leader, civil society leader or opinion leader (journalist)!

My Faith demands of me to speak truth as I have always done, and declare truth to power on all matters, especially in the public domain and when danger lurks.

I cannot be silent anymore on this COVID matter! Neither can you in your own leadership capacity. Silence cannot be the prerogative of any leader who realizes that there seems to be duplicity and untruthfulness in much of the status quo evidence, arguments and demanded actions so far. Martin Luther King said it well when he said, “The silence of the good people is more dangerous than the brutality of the bad people.”

Good people, we can be silent no more! As citizens of this nation, we must radically speak and move to defeat this COVID crisis. We must now move from defensive play to offensive play as the attack strategy to win.

Truth is what sets people free. Let me share the truth of months of my research and experience to assist us as a nation. May it serve as a recommendation as part of the national strategy to attack this COVID monster: It can be defeated without negative and disastrous effects on the body or continued crippling of the society.

• We must, as our new era Prime Minister and government has asked us to commit to observing the protocols.
• All citizens must work hard and be taught how to build up their greatest possible virus defence, the immune system. It is our best offensive approach to ward off COVID. Yet it has not formed the centre of our international public education focus. This means eating fruits and vegetables, getting adequate rest and taking additional vitamins like C, B-Complex, D and others recommended.
• We must cease throwing out and discrediting proven medication that doctors have used and are using that have helped millions, cured thousands and reduced the need for hospitalization for many.
• Then there are the homeopathic and alternative modalities that have contributed. What has cured the 99.7% of infected persons to date? I suggest for most it is the wonderful God designed Immune system, known drugs, plus the tremendous supportive care to symptoms by our brilliant doctors worldwide. It must not be lost on us that the 99.7% recovery rate has been without a vaccine.

Let’s talk: There are other ways (Alternative Medicines)

Great care must always be taken not to lightly do anything or apply any approach that infringe upon the rights, freedoms and liberties of a society. Free people in a free law-abiding society must be given the truth and options and allow them to choose their courses of action. Moral suasion should always be the preferred options.

It cannot be successfully argued or denied that with the tremendous scientific and medical advancement of the last fifty years that there are not known tested and proven existing medications that although may not be perfect can considerably contribute to contain and control most viruses and bacteria.

There are available drugs that are both preventative and highly curative. There are many people here in Jamaica and overseas who these drugs have helped. Many local doctors and hospitals used them to treat many Covid positive patients, particularly in the upper echelon of society.

A personal friend of mine, and Pastor of one of the largest churches in New York City had one of the worst attacks in the early COVID-19 outbreak in New York. He nearly died as he had a lung problem. He was hospitalized and his doctors tried everything to no avail. In desperation his doctors agreed to try alternative strategies, as he had nothing to lose.

Although they knew a medication had antiviral properties there was no medical evidence that it would work for Covid. As a last resort, they, with his approval, tried it.

In his own testimony he declared, “It saved my life.” No one can say it does not work. Scores of doctors have been using it and have had no fatalities; all have been cured. The drugs combined of which I speak, are hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and zinc. The American Journal of medicine now recommends their use for treatment of COVID-19 outpatients. Hundreds of millions have used it around the world since 1955. It is sold in many countries as an over the counter drug with a high safety profile.

The Virology Journal, the official publication of the National Institutes of Health published what is now a blockbuster article on August 22^nd, 2005. Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus injection and spread. “We report… that chloroquine has a strong antiviral effect on SARS-COV injection of primate cells. These inhibitory effects are observed when cells are treated with the drug either before or after exposure to the virus suggesting both prophylactic and therapeutic advantage.”

NIH continued, “Concentrations of 10vm completely abolished SARS-COV infection. Chloroquine can effectively reduce the establishment of infection and spread of SARS-COV.”  It is of interest to note that Hydroxycholoroquine is a much milder form of Chloroquine.

Another known drug being used by doctors in many nations with all successful results is IVERMECTIN. Data abounds on the great results in prevention and its aid in the curative. An attack approach as a nation involving some of these tried medicines should begin by deliberately educating and equipping our people to the efficacy of these alternatives. We could possibly break the back of this Covid monster with this approach.

We cannot continue the defensive fear filled approach being driven by external forces with their own agendas. On what basis are we being told they cannot work when others are seeing results?  All this, while the recommended vaccines that have been rushed to the fore, are not yet tried and proven.

There are many other such anecdotal and alternative medical testimonies. Some of you reading this have the evidence in front of you, right there on your desk, in your medical journals, or electronic device. It’s undeniable!

Let the people choose
In an OpEd article in The Guardian newspaper of Britain, titled “Watching New Zealand’s Covid success from bungling Britain has been torture,” author Todd Atticus said, “It is clear to me that these alternate realities aren’t just dumb luck or geographical good fortune. They are the result of different political choices.

Let’s be the next commonwealth country role model to beat this dreaded virus!” Atticus continued, “Everyone in the world has been reminded of the power the state has to reshape our lives.”

Let the world experience the power of the Jamaican state, combining with the power of the Jamaican people to allow for CHOOSING life-saving alternatives as we battle the virus and positively reshape our future together.

So, I suggest Hon. new era PM, allow our citizens to be educated on possible options and methods that can prevent infection and let them choose. When people feel a part of the solution, as part of a strategy to attack and conquer, the compliance rate will increase to make us win the war.

In a modern democracy issues that affect the survival and direction of a people must engage the people in dialogue. Let’s together attack Covid on all fronts and beat it.

BY WAZARI JOHNSON

Death is such a strange thing. It can bring you down to your knees by breaking your heart, but it also serves as a very expensive handbill that reminds you that we are not here forever; that we must utilize that space between our sunrise and our sunset to the best of our ability.

I watched my sister battle cancer for one full year, the process drained me. I struggled for months to stay focused on work, my art and my writing. The last two mentioned aspects of myself, comes from a place deep inside me when I have inner turmoil. It is a struggle for me to think creatively. My dear sister died August 12th, 2020, and it felt like I lost a massive part of myself. I tried hard to get back to the potter’s wheel, to the studio, but my spirit felt frozen in time. I found myself being a broken man.

What I find even stranger now, is that death is the reason I am now writing this article.
On September 28th, 2020, I received the awful news that my friend for 23 years, a tremendous talent, Christopher McKenzie, passed away. Christopher was battling ALS for some time now, and this dear brother and soldier has rested from his war.

What stands out in my mind about Christopher is how he soaked up life. He always loved to laugh. From our days at art school he always loved to make others laugh. Christopher always sought to generate an atmosphere of happiness around him; even when he shared his ALS diagnosis with us (his friends from art school) he kept a positive outlook about his remaining days.

Chris had another battle in life that he, in my estimation, overcame and that was his battle with self-doubt and discouragement. When I met him in art school, I was mind blown as to how talented he was. His level of skill and dexterity did not reflect that he was almost fresh out of high school, a youngster.

Christopher possessed a high level of skill in drawing and painting, and when he told me he wanted to be a part of the painting department, I concluded that he had this under control; after all, from what we could see (the group of us as students) he was one of the best of us.

Christopher did make it into the painting department, but soon after he started to face difficulties. In his own words, “At the time, the school did not encourage individualism. They tried to strip me of my own way of expressing myself through art, so I would do it their way.” This is something that I personally witnessed, not only for Chris but many other students. My purpose for citing this is not to tear down the alma mater we both shared, but this was a recurring issue that many of us observed, and it caused me great displeasure while I was a student.

I have a number of friends who have related that they no longer paint, draw, etc., and this was connected to what they had to endure while at art school. I strongly believe that the role of an educator is to encourage his/her students and to equip them with the necessary tools for present and future success, not to stifle one’s individuality or to discourage them.
In more recent times, Christopher eventually motivated himself to start producing art again. He related that his drive was rekindled when his son, who was at his parent’s home, saw a collection of paintings he had done hanging on the wall. When his son asked him why he didn’t paint anymore, it was in that moment, he thought about painting again, and that whole process produced a number of master works.

Christopher developed an eclectic style of painting, but the pieces I enjoyed the most were his portrait explorations. In these, he used a variety of colors to explore how light and dark affects the surface of faces. A number of these pieces were of Jamaican public personalities such as Bob Marley, Koffee, Usain Bolt and Edward Seaga just to name a few.

These pieces were iconic and had presence. I really loved the way he blended and used colors in these pieces and they all showcased the outstanding dexterity Christopher was known for. He had such extraordinary potential and I am happy that he got to share it with the world. He showcased his work in exhibitions staged by Osmosis Caribbean and the Reggae Mill restaurant and the reviews were always great.
Though he is gone, he has left a great legacy in art and in life. While he is not here to interact with us anymore, I would like to encourage you dear readers to visit his Instagram page @chrischinoart and enjoy a visual feast.