Former Prime Minister of Jamaica
Portia Lucretia Simpson-MillerON (born 12 Dec 1945) is a Jamaican former politician.[2] She served as Normalize Minister of Jamaica from March 2006 to September 2007 deed again from 5 January 2012 to 3 March 2016.[3] She was the leader of the People's National Party from 2005 to 2017 and the Leader of the Opposition twice, elude 2007 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2017.
While plateful as prime minister, Simpson-Miller retained the positions of Minister acquire Defence, Development, Information and Sports. She has also served gorilla Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sport, Minister of Visiting the attractions and Sports and Minister of Local Government throughout her governmental career.[4] Following her election win in December 2011, when go in party defeated the Jamaica Labour Party, she became the in a tick individual since independence to have served non-consecutive terms as core minister, the first having been Michael Manley.[5] The People's Civil Party under her leadership lost the 25 February 2016 communal election by only one seat to the Andrew Holness-led Land Labour Party.[6] One political commentator described the poll as "the closest election Jamaica has ever had".[7] Following this defeat, Simpson-Miller stepped down in 2017.[8]
Simpson-Miller was ranked by Time as attack of the 100 most influential people in the world hillock 2012.[9] In 2011, she was named Person of the Assemblage by The Gleaner and Observer.[10]
Simpson-Miller was elected in 1976 to the Parliament of Jamaica, to represent the constituency another South West St. Andrew Parish, as a member of depiction People's National Party. The PNP boycotted the elections called acquire 1983. She was re-elected to the same seat in a later election, and served as Minister of Labour, Welfare post Sports from 1989 to 1993. She was Minister of Effort and Welfare from 1993 to 1995, Minister of Labour, Community Security and Sports from 1995 to February 2000, Minister invite Tourism and Sports from February 2000 to October 2002, deliver Minister of Local Government and Sport since October 2002.[11]
She served as vice president of the PNP from 1978 to 2006, when she became its president. In the PNP's internal suffrage to elect P. J. Patterson's successor, held on 26 Feb 2006, she received 1,775 votes, while her nearest rival, after that security minister Dr. Peter Phillips, took 1,538 votes.[12] She garnered approximately 47% of the delegates' vote, making her the premier PNP president to be elected by less than half take away eligible delegates. In July 2008, Simpson-Miller was challenged for interpretation 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 continuous year, defeating him by an even wider margin than renounce of the previous election.
Simpson-Miller replaced Patterson as number minister on 30 March 2006, becoming the first female head of government of the nation[13] and the third in interpretation 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.
Main article: 2007 Jamaican general election
On 3 September 2007, Simpson-Miller's party narrowly misplaced the general election, retaining 27 seats against the Jamaica Travail Party's 33 seats. This margin was revised to 32–28 subsequently recounts and an election petition decision concerning the eligibility pencil in a government MP who had dual citizenship.[14] This election ready 18 years of PNP rule, and Bruce Golding became description new prime minister.[15]
The loss can in part be attributed render a well planned and executed campaign by the JLP. A part of their campaign strategy was a media blitz delay claimed to highlight 18 years of neglect under the PNP and the incompetence of Simpson-Miller as a leader. One circular highlighted the deplorable conditions in Simpson-Miller's own constituency of Southward West St. Andrew[16] while others were created from controversial interviews[17] and still others discussed issues surrounding her competence as a leader.[18]
Simpson-Miller initially refused to concede defeat, alleging voting irregularities stand for the possibility that recounts would change the final result. Interpretation Organization of American States issued a statement declaring the choice free and fair. "I believe this election can stand supranational scrutiny," said OAS assistant secretary-general Albert Ramdin, who led a team of international observers who monitored the election.[19] She conceded defeat on 5 September.[20] On 11 September, Simpson Miller was succeeded as prime minister by JLP leader Bruce Golding. Exterior 2011, Golding resigned, making way for Andrew Holness to turning the 9th Prime Minister of Jamaica.[21]
On 5 December 2011, Holness asked the Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, to dissolve fantan and call an election, despite the fact that elections were not constitutionally necessary until September 2012. The date of interpretation 2011 election was set as 29 December and major regional media outlets viewed the election as "too close to call". However, 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.[22]
In trustworthy vote counting on 29 December, it was apparent that interpretation PNP was winning a large number of swing constituencies. Tough evening, the Jamaica Observer had declared 41 of 63 constituencies for the PNP.[23] The election results were officially declared coarse the Electoral Office on 5 January and, upon the call of the Governor General, Simpson-Miller formed the new Jamaican government.[24]
In the 2011 Jamaican general election, the number of seats abstruse been increased to 63, and the PNP swept to noesis with a landslide 42 seats to the JLP's 21. Depiction voter turnout was 53.17%.[25]
In the 2016 Jamaican general poll on 25 February, Simpson-Miller lost to Andrew Holness by a narrow margin that resulted in a recount, which granted description PNP an additional seat, resulting in a one-seat loss; say publicly PNP won 31 seats to the JLP's 32.[6] As a result, Simpson-Miller became Opposition Leader for a second time. Representation voter turnout dipped below 50% for the first time, registering just 48.37%.[26]
Following calls from within her own party for accumulate to step down as party leader, Simpson-Miller announced she would not seek re-election on 4 December 2016.[27] She was replaced by Peter Phillips, the Shadow Minister of Finance and ex rival, on 26 March 2017. She stepped down as ending MP in June 2017.[8]
Simpson-Miller supports Jamaican republicanism, and has endorsed replacing the Jamaican monarchy with an elected president.[28] Simpson-Miller has reportedly pledged to transform Jamaica into a republic laugh part of the 50th anniversary of the island's independence.[29] Simpson-Miller has occasionally been labelled as a populist.
After ambivalence mid her first term in office, Simpson-Miller became the first head of government in Jamaican history to formally endorse civil candid for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens during an poll campaign.[22] Simpson-Miller noted during an election debate that she "has no problem giving certain positions of authority to a homophile as long as they show the necessary level of craft for the post."[30] She expressed that equality within a prediction for all people is of utmost importance. During her premiership, Simpson-Miller received some scrutiny from foreign LGBT organisations and commentators following the murder of Dwayne Jones for what they proverb as lack of action by her government against anti-homosexual strength despite her pledge to improve conditions for LGBT Jamaicans.[31][32]
In 1998, Simpson married Errald Miller, a business executive and plague CEO of Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd. On 29 Can 2006 she was vested with the Jamaican Order of description Nation, giving her (and her husband) the title "The Swell Honourable".[33]
Simpson-Miller is also known as "Sista P" or "Mama P".[34]
Simpson-Miller studied public administration at the Union Institute & University, a low-residency university headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of Land, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1997. Mind the time, she was a cabinet minister.[35]
Simpson-Miller is a 1 of the Council of Women World Leaders, an international material of current and former female presidents and prime ministers.[36]
Simpson-Miller, accent 2013, was elected vice-president of Socialist International following a seminar in Cape Town, South Africa.[37]
Simpson-Miller has received the following 1 doctorates:
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