The Reverend Al Miller, we note, has decided to take a leave of absence from his position as head of the National Transformation Programme pending the outcome of the case against him for harbouring a fugitive and perverting the course of justice.

It is a sensible decision, albeit late in coming. Because up to yesterday morning we were wondering whether he really was as blind as he was making himself out to be to the fact that as a man accused of two very serious crimes, his role as the symbol of change and a fresh start for Jamaica must be amended.

Or was it that the Reverend, like so many others, was convinced that it was impossible to lead without a title?

Let’s face it, no matter how seemingly laudable his motives, if he is convicted for attempting to spirit Mr Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke past the Jamaican authorities to United States officials, he will, without further ado, fall into the category of a convicted criminal. We say if, because we don’t believe — even in the face of the Reverend’s admission to his misdeed — that a conviction is a foregone conclusion.

However, we do believe that Rev Miller should have stood aside the minute he became involved in a criminal investigation and not follow the disgraceful examples set by Messrs Kern Spencer and Joseph Hibbert who, with the blessings of their political parties, still sit in the Parliament representing North East St Elizabeth and East Rural St Andrew respectively.

It doesn’t matter that the Reverend, or anyone else for that matter, feels that his actions were justified.

The implications of a potential conviction are clear. A criminal — at least an outright one — can’t lead the national transformation process no matter how charismatic he/she is.

That it was necessary to point these things out to a man of the cloth whom we expect to know and do better than the secular leaders, is sad.

For we are badly in need of leadership that is informed by good morals.

Those who lead must be prepared to do the right thing, even if it costs them their position. They must be prepared, as a certain leader once said — albeit under drastically different circumstances — to pay the price.

We submit that those who are unable, for whatever reason, to see this are not fit to lead.

The true leader does not need an official title. The true leader can, by example, exert far more influence in the field of societal change than even the most bombastic headline grabber.

Because headlines can only go so far in effecting change. At the end of the day, it is the hard work of men and women who are willing to put their money where their mouths are that will effect real change.

So although we welcome the headlines like the one in yesterday’s edition of our sister title, the Observer West, urging the society on behalf of Mr Steve Warren, the deputy mayor of Falmouth, to change course by giving full support to the police in the fight against crime, we acknowledge that it is easier said than done.

The decision by Mr Karl Samuda, the commerce minister, to relieve the so-called area leaders in his North Central St Andrew constituency of their traditional intimidatory election campaign roles is illustrative.

On the face of it, this cannot have been an easy thing for Mr Samuda to do, but, according to him, he did it.

That is remarkable and worthy, not just of commendation, but of emulation.