Edmond Campbell and Gareth Manning, Staff Reporters

Portia Simpson Miller(right) speaks with ( l - r ) Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr. Karl Blyth and Dr. Omar Davies

Portia Simpson Miller's historic ascension to the highest seat of Government in March 2006 plunged the country in a state of 'Portiamania'. The governing People's National Party (PNP) made a leadership transition with former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson saying farewell to representational politics and passed the baton to the country's first female head of government, after serving as Prime Minister for 14 years, and chalking up three consecutive wins in general elections.

Outpacing Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr. Omar Davies and Dr. Karl Blythe in a hotly contested race for the presidency of the People's National Party, Mrs. Simpson Miller also became the party's first female president.

In the beginning ...

Mrs. Simpson Miller's campaign started in the east with a rally in January at the historic Morant Bay Courthouse where National Hero Paul Bogle had marched from Stony Gut to press for social change on behalf of the people of St. Thomas, 141 years before. She likened her campaign to his struggle, assuring her supporters, "We are going to march to Jamaica House."

This rally, like others to follow, was flooded with women who shouted what became a slogan of her campaign, "Woman time now, Portia time now." A flurry of Members of Parliament, councillors and even veteran journalists came out to the rallies to pledge their support for Mrs. Simpson Miller.

"As your ancestors faced Bogle yesterday, I am asking you to face life with Portia. Portia time is your time. Portia's time is the people's time," were her highly confident pleas to her supporters.

At her swearing-in as Jamaica's seventh Prime Minister on March 30, Mrs. Simpson Miller promised to stand up for justice, brotherhood and peace: "Each individual is sacred. None is more important than the other. Money should not make one person more important than the other, learning should not make one person more important ... nor should class, colour or gender. We are all equal ...

"We cannot build the harmony and peace that this society so desperately needs unless all Jamaicans know that they will be treated with dignity and respect," she said to the applause of thousands who came from all over the world and descended on the lawns of King's House to witness the event.

Tackling Issues

During her budget presentation she promised to tackle some issues facing Jamaica, promising more for the young, the poor and the small business sector. She dedicated $1.2 billion to repair and upgrade 97 basic schools, while the National Youth Service (NYS) was boosted to provide opportunities for 2,000 more youths through a half-a-billion-dollar expansion programme.

She provided subsidised housing for some of the nation's poor through an annual half-a-billion-dollar pool of benefits set aside by the National Housing Trust, and provided an additional $150 million to build shelters for senior citizens and the indigent. In addition, $1 billion was made available for loans to small businesses through the cash-rich National Insurance Scheme (NIS). The loans are to benefit 5,000 small businesses.

Under her watch the economy has remained relatively stable, with the dollar sliding minimally and the economists recording as much as two per cent growth last quarter and predicting further expansion next year.

Challenges

Year 2006 promised bright prospects for Mrs. Simpson Miller, yet delivered some unfavourable outcomes as a number of scandals dogged the PNP administration leading to declines in both the Prime Minister's and her party's ratings in national polls. The first year of her administration will be marked by the spectre of Trafigura, Sandals Whitehouse, Carib Cement and Memorandum of Understanding II.

The chain of scandals weakened the popularity of the charismatic Portia Simpson Miller and her administration. Sharp divisions within the ruling party also contributed to a decline in the Prime Minister's political stocks.

The party's ratings plunged from a top end of 52 per cent upon Mrs. Simpson Miller's inauguration in March, according to The Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson polls, to tie with the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in October with 32 per cent support. This was while Mrs. Simpson Miller's own popularity plunged from a March high of 78 per cent to 56 per cent in October. Recent suggestions were made that Mrs. Simpson Miller appoint a Deputy Prime Minister to administer the daily operations of the country.