Jamaica to get first woman leader
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<font size="5"><center>Jamaica to get first woman leader</font size></center>
Simpson Miller has strong popular
appeal after years in politics
BBC News
26 February 2006
The Caribbean island of Jamaica is to have a female prime minister for the first time.
Portia Simpson Miller, 60, was elected president of the governing People's National Party in an internal vote.
She will automatically become prime minister when the incumbent, PJ Patterson, steps down in the next few weeks after 14 years in the post.
Mrs Simpson Miller, currently local government minister, narrowly beat the national security minister to the job.
Dr Peter Phillips had been seen as the favourite to succeed Mr Patterson but his record on tackling violence has been questioned.
There have been more than 4,000 cases of homicide in Jamaica since he took charge of security five years ago.
Popular appeal
Mrs Simpson Miller, who has been a popular figure in Jamaican politics since the 1970s, took 1,775 votes to 1,538 votes for Dr Phillips in the leadership vote.
Speaking in Kingston as the rBut commentators say the 60-year-old has gained strong popular appeal during her decades in politics.
"She is seen as someone who has really risen through the ranks of the party, coming from a very, very poor section of Jamaica... to the top post," Radio Jamaica's Kathy Barrett told the BBC.
"She's a woman who's very determined, a firebrand type of politician who has really hit home when it comes to the majority of people - especially women, the poor and the unemployed."
Mrs Simpson Miller is expected to have taken over from Mr Patterson, Jamaica's longest-serving prime minister, by April.
Before the leadership vote, Mr Patterson urged the party "to come together as one single family".
He has led his party to three election victories but his government faces criticism over rising crime and has been dogged by charges of corruption.
The next parliamentary elections are due to take place in 2007.
esults were announced, she said: "I accept your mandate... and pledge to honour my commitment to serve you all."
Political opponents argue Mrs Simpson Miller does not have the skills needed to run the country.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4752192.stm
Simpson Miller has strong popular
appeal after years in politics
BBC News
26 February 2006
The Caribbean island of Jamaica is to have a female prime minister for the first time.
Portia Simpson Miller, 60, was elected president of the governing People's National Party in an internal vote.
She will automatically become prime minister when the incumbent, PJ Patterson, steps down in the next few weeks after 14 years in the post.
Mrs Simpson Miller, currently local government minister, narrowly beat the national security minister to the job.
Dr Peter Phillips had been seen as the favourite to succeed Mr Patterson but his record on tackling violence has been questioned.
There have been more than 4,000 cases of homicide in Jamaica since he took charge of security five years ago.
Popular appeal
Mrs Simpson Miller, who has been a popular figure in Jamaican politics since the 1970s, took 1,775 votes to 1,538 votes for Dr Phillips in the leadership vote.
Speaking in Kingston as the rBut commentators say the 60-year-old has gained strong popular appeal during her decades in politics.
"She is seen as someone who has really risen through the ranks of the party, coming from a very, very poor section of Jamaica... to the top post," Radio Jamaica's Kathy Barrett told the BBC.
"She's a woman who's very determined, a firebrand type of politician who has really hit home when it comes to the majority of people - especially women, the poor and the unemployed."
Mrs Simpson Miller is expected to have taken over from Mr Patterson, Jamaica's longest-serving prime minister, by April.
Before the leadership vote, Mr Patterson urged the party "to come together as one single family".
He has led his party to three election victories but his government faces criticism over rising crime and has been dogged by charges of corruption.
The next parliamentary elections are due to take place in 2007.
esults were announced, she said: "I accept your mandate... and pledge to honour my commitment to serve you all."
Political opponents argue Mrs Simpson Miller does not have the skills needed to run the country.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4752192.stm
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P
pj3050
Guest
i dont know her politcal standpoints but a women will be better suited to rule. more compassion, better gatherer of info, organized. as long as she keep those mood swings in control.
<font size="4"><center>Changing guard - Simpson Miller to be sworn in today </font size></center>
Outgoing Prime Minister
P.J. Patterson (right)
engages Prime Minister-
designate Portia Simpson
Miller in a conversation at
a farewell dinner hosted in
his honour by members of
his Cabinet at Jamaica House
earlier this week. - JIS
published: Thursday | March 30, 2006
Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter
Jamaica Gleaner
PORTIA SIMPSON Miller will today be officially sworn in as Jamaica's first female prime minister during a lavish ceremony to be held on the lawns of King's House.
Mrs. Simpson Miller will succeed P.J. Patterson, who has been Prime Minister for the past 14 years.
Mr. Patterson will today hand in his resignation to Governor-General, Professor Kenneth Hall.
HISTORIC EVENT
The historic event will begin at 5:00 p.m. and the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), in association with Emoquad and Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited, will facilitate the web casting of the ceremony.
Interested parties can log on to the JIS website at www.jis.gov.jm, to see the live broadcast.
Among the 6,000 invited guests are regional leaders, Owen Arthur of Barbados, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, and Michael Missick, Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Also confirmed to attend are Nation of Islam head, Louis Farrakhan, and 14 members of the United States Congress led by Congressman Charles Rangle.
Baroness Jan Royall of Blaisdon will represent the British Government at today's function.
PARKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CEREMONY
Only guests, who are in possession of a red or blue VIP sticker, will be allowed to park on the property.
All other guests must park on the open field on East King's House Road.
Motorists travelling from Matilda's Corner and going to King's House will be asked to turn on to Marley Road, exit on to East King's House Road and proceed to the car park.
Persons coming from Lady Musgrave Road are expected to proceed across the intersection at Hope Road and on to East King's House Road and enter the parking area.
In the event of rain and the field becomes saturated, guests will be asked to park at the National Stadium.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060330/lead/lead1.html
Outgoing Prime Minister
P.J. Patterson (right)
engages Prime Minister-
designate Portia Simpson
Miller in a conversation at
a farewell dinner hosted in
his honour by members of
his Cabinet at Jamaica House
earlier this week. - JIS
published: Thursday | March 30, 2006
Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter
Jamaica Gleaner
PORTIA SIMPSON Miller will today be officially sworn in as Jamaica's first female prime minister during a lavish ceremony to be held on the lawns of King's House.
Mrs. Simpson Miller will succeed P.J. Patterson, who has been Prime Minister for the past 14 years.
Mr. Patterson will today hand in his resignation to Governor-General, Professor Kenneth Hall.
HISTORIC EVENT
The historic event will begin at 5:00 p.m. and the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), in association with Emoquad and Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited, will facilitate the web casting of the ceremony.
Interested parties can log on to the JIS website at www.jis.gov.jm, to see the live broadcast.
Among the 6,000 invited guests are regional leaders, Owen Arthur of Barbados, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, and Michael Missick, Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Also confirmed to attend are Nation of Islam head, Louis Farrakhan, and 14 members of the United States Congress led by Congressman Charles Rangle.
Baroness Jan Royall of Blaisdon will represent the British Government at today's function.
PARKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CEREMONY
Only guests, who are in possession of a red or blue VIP sticker, will be allowed to park on the property.
All other guests must park on the open field on East King's House Road.
Motorists travelling from Matilda's Corner and going to King's House will be asked to turn on to Marley Road, exit on to East King's House Road and proceed to the car park.
Persons coming from Lady Musgrave Road are expected to proceed across the intersection at Hope Road and on to East King's House Road and enter the parking area.
In the event of rain and the field becomes saturated, guests will be asked to park at the National Stadium.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060330/lead/lead1.html
Last edited:
<font size="5"><center>Jamaica Ousts Female PM: Early Results</font size></center>
Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller embraces a
child after voting in her nation's presidential elections in
Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, Sept. 3, 2007. Jamaica's first
female head of state faced being ousted in elections after
only 18 months in office because of violent crime and a
sputtering economy that forces many to abandon their
homeland for jobs abroad. (AP Photo)
Sep 4, 12:54 AM (ET)
Associated Press
By BEN FOX
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - Jamaica's main opposition won a narrow election victory Monday, according to preliminary results, but the country's first female prime minister said the race was too close to call and the ruling party would not concede defeat.
The opposition Jamaica Labor Party won 31 of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives, enough to oust Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and end her party's nearly 20-year hold on power in the Caribbean country.
Director of Elections Danville Walker said it would take about two days to complete the final count.
"We don't usually have too many things change during the final count, but we must remember that this is a preliminary count," Walker said on Television Jamaica.
But Simpson Miller said there were a number of races that were so close they could switch in a recount and that she was concerned election rules may have been violated.
"We are conceding no victory to the Jamaica Labor Party," she said.
Despite her announcement, jubilant JLP supporters drove through the streets of Kingston in convoys honking their horns while passengers leaned out the windows. People streamed into campaign headquarters, waiting to hear from their leader, Bruce Golding.
Simpson Miller alleged that some candidates campaigned beyond the cut off point mandated by election rules and were "buying votes." She also said that some members of her People's National Party were inappropriately prevented from voting.
The prime minister said some PLP candidates would pursue legal challenges, but she did not provide details during a brief speech in which she also warned her supporters to get home quickly to avoid clashes with opposition backers.
Simpson Miller became the country's first woman prime minister when she was chosen by party delegates to replace P.J. Patterson upon his retirement in March 2006.
Voting appeared orderly through the day, though several polling stations opened late because they lacked election documents. In a rare episode of violence, ruling party supporters fired shots at an East Kingston Methodist church, according to witnesses who said the attackers had quarreled earlier with opposition backers. Heavily armed soldiers and police quickly swarmed the area and no injuries were reported.
Albert Ramdin, assistant secretary-general for the Washington-based Organization of American States, said around noon that there were no signs of any of the violence that marred Jamaican elections in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Generally, everything is going fine," said Ramdin, who headed a mission of about 40 OAS observers.
The two main parties do not have stark ideological differences and the determining factor in the election seems to be which leader has a better chance of easing Jamaica's deep-seated poverty, creating jobs and reducing crime in a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Both Golding and Simpson Miller are longtime parliament members.
Simpson Miller's campaign has revolved around her inspiring life story as a someone who was born in rural poverty and grew up in a Kingston ghetto, not far from the crumbling concrete jungle made famous by Bob Marley. Known as "Sista P," and "Mama P," the 61-year-old prime minister is known for her plain speaking style and support of the poor.
Once wildly popular, her support has waned amid complaints she responded poorly to Hurricane Dean two weeks ago and a perception that she did not fare well in a debate with Golding.
Golding, 58, has promised to streamline government bureaucracy and attract foreign investment. He also says he will eliminate secondary school fees - a move the ruling party insists the country cannot afford but has generated much enthusiasm among cash-strapped voters.
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070904/D8REEAU80.html
Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller embraces a
child after voting in her nation's presidential elections in
Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, Sept. 3, 2007. Jamaica's first
female head of state faced being ousted in elections after
only 18 months in office because of violent crime and a
sputtering economy that forces many to abandon their
homeland for jobs abroad. (AP Photo)
Sep 4, 12:54 AM (ET)
Associated Press
By BEN FOX
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - Jamaica's main opposition won a narrow election victory Monday, according to preliminary results, but the country's first female prime minister said the race was too close to call and the ruling party would not concede defeat.
The opposition Jamaica Labor Party won 31 of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives, enough to oust Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and end her party's nearly 20-year hold on power in the Caribbean country.
Director of Elections Danville Walker said it would take about two days to complete the final count.
"We don't usually have too many things change during the final count, but we must remember that this is a preliminary count," Walker said on Television Jamaica.
But Simpson Miller said there were a number of races that were so close they could switch in a recount and that she was concerned election rules may have been violated.
"We are conceding no victory to the Jamaica Labor Party," she said.
Despite her announcement, jubilant JLP supporters drove through the streets of Kingston in convoys honking their horns while passengers leaned out the windows. People streamed into campaign headquarters, waiting to hear from their leader, Bruce Golding.
Simpson Miller alleged that some candidates campaigned beyond the cut off point mandated by election rules and were "buying votes." She also said that some members of her People's National Party were inappropriately prevented from voting.
The prime minister said some PLP candidates would pursue legal challenges, but she did not provide details during a brief speech in which she also warned her supporters to get home quickly to avoid clashes with opposition backers.
Simpson Miller became the country's first woman prime minister when she was chosen by party delegates to replace P.J. Patterson upon his retirement in March 2006.
Voting appeared orderly through the day, though several polling stations opened late because they lacked election documents. In a rare episode of violence, ruling party supporters fired shots at an East Kingston Methodist church, according to witnesses who said the attackers had quarreled earlier with opposition backers. Heavily armed soldiers and police quickly swarmed the area and no injuries were reported.
Albert Ramdin, assistant secretary-general for the Washington-based Organization of American States, said around noon that there were no signs of any of the violence that marred Jamaican elections in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Generally, everything is going fine," said Ramdin, who headed a mission of about 40 OAS observers.
The two main parties do not have stark ideological differences and the determining factor in the election seems to be which leader has a better chance of easing Jamaica's deep-seated poverty, creating jobs and reducing crime in a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Both Golding and Simpson Miller are longtime parliament members.
Simpson Miller's campaign has revolved around her inspiring life story as a someone who was born in rural poverty and grew up in a Kingston ghetto, not far from the crumbling concrete jungle made famous by Bob Marley. Known as "Sista P," and "Mama P," the 61-year-old prime minister is known for her plain speaking style and support of the poor.
Once wildly popular, her support has waned amid complaints she responded poorly to Hurricane Dean two weeks ago and a perception that she did not fare well in a debate with Golding.
Golding, 58, has promised to streamline government bureaucracy and attract foreign investment. He also says he will eliminate secondary school fees - a move the ruling party insists the country cannot afford but has generated much enthusiasm among cash-strapped voters.
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070904/D8REEAU80.html
