Commissioner the Reverend Doctor Chase Albert Neil, DBA, NMD Adv. Dip., HonDDiv. (h.c.), a trained life coach and trained teacher of high school English Language and Literature, is an online English Tutor, Natural Medicine Consultant and Touch Therapy Life Coach (and, more recently, a school relief watchman) by profession. He is the father of one adopted daughter, Adelina, husband to Christine Salmon-Neil, and is son of early childhood teacher and retired basic school principal, Densa Thompson-Neil, and the late Fitz Neil, who was a master craft/basketry technician and retired teacher of Art & Craft and Spanish.
Chase currently volunteers as an MP Candidate for St. Mary Western under the banner of the United Independents' Congress of Jamaica (UIC), and also serves voluntarily as Commissioner of the Ranger Cadet Combined Corps, Senior Pastor of the Temple of the Tao of Christ, Minister of Metaphysics with the International Metaphysical Ministry, and member of St. Mary Chamber of Commerce, Takyi Heritage Foundation, and Friends of Port Maria.
Early life
Chase Neil was born in Kingston in October 1985, but grew up in the district of Geddes Town, St. Mary in an extended family consisting of his maternal grandmother - the Matriarch of the home - his father, mother, one sister, and one aunt. Chase grew up with strong Christian principles under the guardianship of his grandmother, the late Myrtle McKoy-Thompson, who ensured that her son, her four daughters and eight of her grandchildren started and ended each day with morning and night family devotions and attended church every Sunday. Miss Myrtle, as she was affectionately called, ensured her children looked out for each other, and it was in this network of family and faith that Chase spent his childhood.
Education, School Years and Martial Arts
Chase started his education at Port Maria Infant School then transferred to the Emmanuel Basic School. After completing his course of study, he attended Port Maria Primary School, but was absent for over a third of the time due to persistent asthma and bronchitis. Despite missing out much school, he managed to pass his Common Entrance Exams in Grade Five on his first attempt, largely due to his mother's home-schooling and his love for reading. Chase read all his textbooks and habitually sought more information in the encyclopaedias in his grandmother's bookcase at home.
Because he passed Common Entrance in Grade Five, Chase skipped Grade Six and started Grade Seven at St. Mary High at ten years old. His younger age, being ten years old in a class of mostly eleven and twelve year olds, his introverted nature, frequent absences and penchant for speaking Standard Jamaican English made him a target for bullies. Chase responded by frequenting the St. Mary Parish Library in Port Maria and the Highgate Branch Library, teaching himself Aikido and Tai Chi from books to defend himself. He practiced on his own and searched every Gleaner and Star newspaper that his father brought home to find a martial arts instructor until he found a Tai Chi instructor and presented himself to learn. The instructor was so impressed with what Chase learned on his own that he taught him to fight using Tai Chi. When Chase used his skill to defend himself at school, the bullying ended. Through the practice of Tai Chi, Chase was able to get some relief from asthma, but it wasn't until he was baptized in the year 2001 while in Grade 11 that Chase got rid of asthma and bronchitis altogether.
Chase matriculated to the Mico University College in August 2004. The Mico would prove to be a life-altering experience for him, as this was where he joined the Mico Officer Training Unit (MOTU), of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF), sparking his love for cadetting. He would also add to his repertoire in the martial arts, joining the Mico Karate Club and being trained in World Zendo Kai Kan Karate up to Brown Belt level. Chase would go on to infuse Karate into Tai Chi in later years, along with Reiki and acupressure in a quest to create a healing defence art - Iyashino Ken. Chase graduated from the Mico in 2007 with a Diploma in Teaching at Secondary Level (Credit) with a focus on Double Option English (English A/ Language Arts, English B/ English Literature, and Communication Studies).
Chase would go on to earn a Bachelor in Metaphysical Science from the University of Metaphysics, and a Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Business Administration, both from the Atlanta College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He would also complete several Diplomas: a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Advanced Diploma; a Diploma in Herbalism, Natural Medicine & Anatomy; a Diploma in Life Coaching; a Diploma in Psychology; and a Diploma in Acupressure & Reflexology amongst others.
Interests
Although he is a member of Oxford Baptist Church, Chase also volunteers as an ordained Minister of Religion for the Temple of the Tao of Christ and a Metaphysical Minister with the International Metaphysical Ministry.
In his free time, being a man of many interests, he enjoys volunteering with cadets, spending time in nature, meditating, chessboxing (hybrid sport of chess mixed with boxing), reading scriptures of different religions, watching superhero and science fiction movies, watching anime, listening to and writing Christian/Taoist Christian Hip Hop songs, researching political systems around the world, drinking sugary energy drinks that he knows are bad for his health (Monster Energy drink or Boom mixed with Pepsi), and practicing Tai Chi and karate - currently seeking to combine the principles of aikido, Tai Chi and karate with Reiki and acupressure to create a healing martial art (Iyashino ken). He has had to put the quest for Iyashino ken on hold, however, in order to overcome his addiction to sugary caffeinated drinks and focus on political advocacy and representation.
Politics and Community Involvement
Chase has decided to run for politics because he wants to see true representation of the concerns and views of the people of St. Mary. With this father having been an avid supporter of the PNP, and his mother and aunts being strong supporters of the JLP, and having experienced and observed both parties' governance, Chase has seen no real difference between both and became disgusted at the partisan rivalry and its effects on society. In the 39 years that he has lived in St. Mary, he has seen little evidence of effective representation for the parishioners and constituents. Consequently, he wants to be involved in creating laws that enable more access to education, social and national security, and financial education and prosperity.
Having lived between Geddes Town, St. Mary and Bonham Spring, Exchange, St. Ann for four years with his then-fiancee and mother of his adopted daughter, and having worked in St. Ann's Bay, Ocho Rios, and Brown's Town communities for over three years, Chase has also developed a soft spot for the parish St. Ann. This led him to contest the North East St. Ann by-elections in September 2024, seeking to address long-standing issues in that constituency such as lack of proper roads, water access and positive youth engagement.
Chase believes that, apart from the nation and its leaders surrendering totally to God (which is a long shot), politics is the best way to bring about real change.
Having served Jamaica as a cadet officer for 17 years, as a reserve seaport officer and special district constable for 3 years, as a public-school teacher (in high school and primary school) for 11 years, as a member of a school board of management for 3 years, as a volunteer minister of religion for 4 years, and as the PRO of the St. Mary Parish Development Committee also for 2 years, Chase now feels that political service is the most tangible way to improve Jamaica. Before, he had always felt that politics was too corrupt, partisan and divisive. However, after finding out about the UIC, a party dedicated to non-partisan ideals - aiming to abolish the political party system in order to unite Jamaicans and make governance more effective, and aiming separate the roles of MPs and Senators from Cabinet Ministers of Government, and to having the leader of the government/country being elected on separate ballots from the MPs among other changes for good governance - Chase realized that this was a party that mirrored his own beliefs and which would minimize the corruption and fighting in the system. Not satisfied with seeking to improve only Jamaica, Chase has been collaborating with the Government of the State of the African Diaspora (SOAD) to work towards a Sovereign Independent State of the Caribbean Diaspora (SISCAD), using the constitutions, ideals and principles of CARICOM, SOAD and the UIC as a basic framework from which to move forward and build upon for the progress and unity of the Caribbean.
As part of his thrust to enhance the lives of young people in St. Mary, Jamaica and the African/Caribbean Diaspora as a whole, Chase created the Prime Minister's International Pan-African Youth Awards (PIPAYA) programme, launching it in February-July 2023 as a pro-African/Pan-African counterpart to the colonial Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme. Through the pilot PIPAYA programme 23 youth from Western and Central St. Mary participated in voluntary service, engaged in sports and other physical activities, embarked on an adventurous expedition over 2 days, learned a new skill, started a small business venture and participated in Pan-African workshops, after which they gave creative expression renditions of what they had learned in the Pan-African workshops. Their efforts in these activities earned them Prime Minister's International Pan-African Youth Awardee/Youth Ambassador pins, award certificates signed by the Prime Minister of SOAD, access to small business development workshops hosted by SOAD, and designation of honorary Youth Ambassadors of the State of the African Diaspora. Chase seeks to develop the programme on a global level with SOAD's support, even as he continues with local projects in Jamaica such as school paintings, developing youth discipline and leadership skills through the Ranger Cadet Combined Corps - which he founded by combining cadetting and scouting, back-to-school drives, etc..
Having contracted a hereditary form of ulcerative colitis which, causing frequent joint pains and bowel movements/persistent diarrhea, resulting in him resigning from teaching in the classroom, Chase found relief in acupressure and reflexology when steroids and prescribed medications failed. This motivated him to learn and become certified in acupressure, reflexology and Reiki. Combining these therapies with life coaching, Chase created Touch Therapy Life Coaching to help others and supplement regular medicine and therapy. He has since begun to study for a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Advanced Diploma (NMD Adv. Dip.), a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and a Doctor of Divinity with specialization in Spiritual Healing (DDiv) to enhance his practice, successfully completing the first two (NMD and DBA) in early 2025.
After having taken on an additional job as a school weekend relief watchman to help pay for his studies, Chase finds it a challenge and an adventure balancing three jobs, family life, studying, cadetting, ministering and representational politics. Yet, he realizes it has to be done, until he is elected, or until a better candidate arrives, to ensure the quality of our lives.