Portia Simpson-Miller

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The Most Honourable
Portia Simpson-Miller
ON MP
Portia Miller Shoot.Jpeg
Prime Minister of Jamaica
Assumed office
5 January 2012
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor General Patrick Allen
Preceded by Andrew Holness
In office
30 March 2006 – 11 September 2007
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor General Kenneth Hall
Preceded by Percival Patterson
Succeeded by Bruce Golding
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
5 January 2012
Preceded by Andrew Holness
In office
30 March 2006 – 11 September 2007
Preceded by Percival Patterson
Succeeded by Bruce Golding
Leader of the Opposition
In office
11 September 2007 – 5 January 2012
Prime Minister Bruce Golding
Andrew Holness
Preceded by Bruce Golding
Succeeded by Andrew Holness
President of the People's National Party
Assumed office
30 March 2006
Preceded by Percival Patterson
Personal details
Born Portia Lucretia Simpson
(1945-12-12) 12 December 1945 (age 78)
Wood Hall, Jamaica
Political party People's National Party
Spouse(s) Errald Miller (1998–present)
Alma mater Union Institute and University

Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller, ON, MP (born 12 December 1945), is a Jamaican politician who has been Prime Minister of Jamaica since 5 January 2012.[1] Previously she served as Prime Minister from March 2006 to September 2007. She is the leader of the People's National Party, and she was Leader of the Opposition between her two terms as Prime Minister.

While serving as Prime Minister, Simpson-Miller retained the positions of Minister of Defence, Development, Information and Sports. She had served as Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sport, Minister of Tourism and Sports and Minister of Local Government throughout the years.[2] Following her second election win in December 2011, when her party defeated the Jamaica Labour Party, she became the second individual since independence to have served non-consecutive terms as prime minister, the first having been Michael Manley.[3]

Political career

File:Portia and PJ and Wykeham.jpg
Portia Simpson-Miller with P. J. Patterson and Wykeham McNeill

Simpson-Miller was 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.[4]

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.[5] She garnered 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 than that of the previous election.

Prime minister

She replaced Patterson as prime minister on 30 March 2006, becoming the first female head of government of the nation[6] and the third in the Anglophone Caribbean, following Eugenia Charles of Dominica and Janet Jagan of Guyana. In organising the cabinet following her swearing-in, she assumed the portfolio of defence minister.

2007 elections

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Main article: Jamaican general election, 2007

On 3 September 2007, Simpson-Miller's 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.

The 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 advertisement highlighted the deplorable conditions in Simpson-Miller’s own constituency of South West St. Andrew[7] while others were created from controversial interviews[8] and still others discussed issues surrounding her competence as a leader.[9]

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.[10] She conceded defeat on 5 September.[11] On 11 September, Simpson Miller was succeeded as prime minister by JLP leader Bruce Golding.

In 2011, Golding resigned, giving way for Andrew Holness to become the 9th Prime Minister of Jamaica.[12]

2011 election

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File:Start of the Parliament.jpg
Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and the Leader of the Opposition Andrew Holness lead in their teams for the start of the 2012 Parliament session with their senior Members of Parliament following
Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller walks to Parliament while her team follows

On 5 December 2011, Holness asked the Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, to dissolve parliament and call an election, despite the fact that elections were not constitutionally necessary until September 2012. The date of the 2011 election was set as 29 December 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 favour of LGBT rights in a televised debate, sparking an eleventh-hour controversy ahead of the vote.[13]

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.[14] The election results were officially declared by the Electoral Office on 5 January and, upon the request of the Governor General, Simpson-Miller formed the new Jamaican government.[15]

Political positions

Simpson-Miller has endorsed replacing the Jamaican monarchy with an elected president.[16] She is the second Jamaican head of government, after Percival Patterson, to openly endorse republicanism.[17] Simpson-Miller has reportedly pledged to transform Jamaica into a republic as part of the 50th anniversary of the island's independence.[18]

After ambivalence during her first term in office, Simpson-Miller became the first head of government in Jamaican history to formally endorse civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens during an election campaign.[13] Simpson-Miller noted during an election debate that she "has no problem giving certain positions of authority to a homosexual as long as they show the necessary level of competence for the post."[19] She expressed that equality within a nation for all people is of utmost importance.

Personal life

Simpson-Miller married Errald Miller, a business executive and former CEO of Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd., in 1998. On 29 May 2006 she was vested with the Jamaican Order of the Nation, giving her (and her husband) the title "The Most Honourable".[20]

Simpson-Miller is also known as "Sista 'P' or 'Mama P' "[21]

Education

Simpson Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration, and also Certificates in Public Relations and Advanced Management from the Union Institute and University of Cincinnati, Ohio. She also completed the Executive Programme for Leaders in Development at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Prime Minister Simpson Miller was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the Union Institute and a Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from the Northern Caribbean University. "[22]

Honours

  • Simpson-Miller was ranked by Time magazine as among its "100 Most Influential Persons in the World" in 2012.[23]
  • Simpson-Miller was named Person of the Year by The Gleaner and Observer in the Gleaner awards 2011.[24]

Simpson-Miller is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an international network of current and former female presidents and prime ministers.[25]

Simpson-Miller, in 2013, was elected Vice-President of Socialist International following a conference in Cape Town, South Africa.[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ [1][dead link]
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ The Hon. Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller, Minister of Local Government, Community Development & Sport, Profiles of Cabinet Ministers, Jamaica Information Service
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Jamaica's First Female Prime Minister, retrieved on 28 May 2007.
  7. ↑ JLP TV Ads – Majesty Gardens on YouTube
  8. ↑ JLP TV Ads – We Found Money – Portia on YouTube
  9. ↑ JLP TV Ad – Dont Draw Mi Tongue on YouTube
  10. ↑ [2][dead link]
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Edmond Campbell, "Bruce takes charge – Golding sworn in as Jamaica's eighth Prime Minister", Jamaica Gleaner, 12 September 2007.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ [3][dead link]
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Chaplin, Ken. "Portia Simpson Miller: Person of the Year", Jamaica Observer, 3 January 2012.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the People's National Party
2006–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Jamaica
2006–2007		 Succeeded by
Bruce Golding
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition
2007–2012		 Succeeded by
Andrew Holness
Preceded by Prime Minister of Jamaica
2012–present		 Incumbent
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