Portia Simpson-Miller

Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller, ON, MP (born 12 December 1945) is the incoming Prime Minister of Jamaica, representing the People's National Party. She served a previous term in the office, from 30 March 2006 to 11 September 2007, as the first woman in that role, and defeated Andrew Holness of the Jamaica Labour Party in the December 2011 general election. Simpson-Miller is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an international network of current and former female presidents and prime ministers.^[1]

Early life

Simpson-Miller was born on 12 December 1945 in Wood Hall, St. Catherine Parish.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in public administration from Union Institute & University, a private college specialising in distance learning programs. The UIU later awarded her an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

Political career

Simpson-Miller was first elected in 1976 to the Parliament of Jamaica, for the constituency of South West St. Andrew Parish, as a member of the People's National Party. The PNP boycotted the elections called in 1983. She was re-elected to the same seat in a later election, and served as Minister of Labour, Welfare and Sports from 1989 to 1993. She was Minister of Labour and Welfare from 1993 to 1995, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sports from 1995 to February 2000, Minister of Tourism and Sports from February 2000 to October 2002, and Minister of Local Government and Sport since October 2002.^[2]

She was a vice president of the PNP from 1978 to 2006, when she became its president. In the PNP's internal vote to elect P. J. Patterson's successor, held on 26 February 2006, she received 1,775 votes, while her nearest rival, security minister Dr. Peter Phillips, took 1,538 votes.^[3] She was only able to garner approximately 47% of the delegates' vote, making her the first PNP president to be elected by less than half of eligible delegates. In July 2008, Simpson-Miller was challenged for the presidency of the PNP by Phillips. The election was held among the party's delegates on 20 September. She was re-elected as the head of the PNP for her second consecutive year, defeating him by an even wider margin that that of the previous election.

She replaced outgoing Prime Minister Patterson in 2006, becoming the first female head of government of the nation^[4] and the third in the Anglophone Caribbean following Eugenia Charles of Dominica and Janet Jagan of Guyana. In appointing her first cabinet following her swearing-in, she also assumed the portfolio of defence minister.

On 29 December 2011 she was elected as Prime Minister of Jamaica for a second time, assuming office on 1 January 2012.

2007 elections

On 3 September 2007 her party narrowly lost the general election, retaining 27 seats against the rival Jamaican Labour Party's 33 seats. This margin was revised to 32–28 after recounts and an election petition decision concerning the eligibility of a government MP who had dual citizenship.

Simpson-Miller's loss can in part be attributed to a well planned and executed campaign by the JLP. A part of their campaign strategy was a media blitz that claimed to highlight 18 years of neglect under the PNP and the incompetence of Simpson-Miller as a leader. One ad highlighted the deplorable conditions in Simpson-Miller’s own constituency of South West St. Andrew,^[5] while others were created from controversial interviews^[6] and still others discussed issues surrounding her competence as a leader.^[7]

Simpson-Miller initially refused to concede defeat, alleging voting irregularities and the possibility that recounts would change the final result. The Organization of American States issued a statement declaring the election free and fair. "I believe this election can stand international scrutiny," said OAS assistant secretary-general Albert Ramdin, who led a team of international observers who monitored the election.^[8] She conceded defeat on 5 September.^[9] On 11 September, Simpson Miller was succeeded as Prime Minister by JLP leader Bruce Golding. In 2011 Bruce Golding had resigned giving way for Andrew Holness to become to 9th Prime Minister of Jamaica.^[10]

2011 elections

On 5 December 2011, rival JLP Prime Minister Andrew Holness asked the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament, and call for new elections despite the fact that elections were not constitutionally necessary until September 2012. The date of the early election was set as 29 December 2011, and major local media outlets viewed the election as "too close to call", though as Simpson-Miller campaigned in key constituencies the gap widened to favour the PNP. Days before the election, Simpson-Miller came out fully in favor of LGBT rights in a televised debate, sparking an eleventh-hour controversy ahead of the vote.^[11]

In early vote counting on 29 December, it was apparent that the PNP was winning a large number of swing constituencies. By evening, the Jamaica Observer had declared 41 of 63 constituencies for the PNP.^[12]

If the election results are deemed official, the consequence will be the Governor-General asking Simpson-Miller to form a government in Her Majesty's name for a second non-consecutive term as Jamaica's Prime Minister. She will be the second individual to have served non-consecutive terms, the first having been Michael Manley.

Simpson-Miller has reportedly pledged to transform Jamaica into a republic as part of the fiftieth anniversary of the island's independence.^[13]

She was named Person of the Year by The Gleaner and Observer in the Gleaner awards 2011.^[14]

Personal life

Simpson-Miller is married to Errald Miller, formerly CEO of Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd.

On 29 May 2006 she was vested with the Jamaican Order of the Nation, giving her (and her husband) the style "The Most Honourable".^[15]

References

External links

• Official profile
• Extended profile