[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E313-E314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATIONS TO PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER ON HER ELECTION AS PRESIDENT 
      OF THE PEOPLE'S NATIONAL PARTY AND PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 8, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Portia Simpson-
Miller, who has been elected president of the People's National Party 
in Jamaica and will become the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica 
at the end of the month and to enter into the Record an editorial and 
news story both published in the New York CaribNews hailing her 
victory.
  The election of Ms. Simpson-Miller is a milestone. As the first 
female Prime Minister Designate, Ms. Simpson-Miller has been a 
passionate, longtime voice for the oppressed. Her career in politics 
has spanned three and a half decades most recently as vice president of 
the PNP since 1978 and president of the PNP Women's Movement since 
1983. Her previous assignments also include several Cabinet 
portfolios--serving as a Minister of Labour, Welfare and Sport and a 
Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport. By 
serving her people diligently, she has earned the right to succeed Mr. 
P.J. Patterson, the island's longest serving Prime Minister.
  Simpson-Miller represents the vanguard of women succeeding in 
politics throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, changing the 
political and social landscapes in places such as Chile and Peru. As 
she sought to become Prime Minister of Jamaica, Ms. Simpson-Miller's 
campaign focused on themes of empowerment for the marginalized and 
uniting all classes to tackle deep-rooted problems of crime and 
economic underdevelopment.
  Simpson-Miller is a Jamaican success story; an iconic figure who has 
become a metaphor for the hopes and aspirations of poor, 
underprivileged black people, particularly black women. Her victory has 
yielded an outpouring of praise from Jamaicans living throughout the 
world, including in my home city of New York who, as is seen in the 
following article, hailed and celebrated her victory. She is a woman of 
faith, conviction and of the people--traits that will surely be needed 
to effectively address the problems of entrenched poverty and crime and 
enhance employment opportunities for youth.
  Mr. Speaker, again I rise to congratulate Ms. Portia Simpson-Miller 
as she ascends to the post of Prime Minister in Jamaica and to commend 
her on her genuine commitment the people of the island.

               Portia Simpson-Miller Hailed as New Leader

                             (By Tony Best)

       If there is something called national euphoria then it best 
     describes the reaction of Jamaicans at home and abroad to the 
     victory of Portia Simpson-Miller in the fight to lead the 
     ruling People's National Party and Jamaica itself.
       For in the Caribbean nation, the news that Simpson-Miller 
     had won the vigorous and potentially divisive battle for the 
     PNP's Presidency and the Prime Minister's job triggered an 
     outpouring of praise and celebrations for the victory. In the 
     Diaspora, from New York,

[[Page E314]]

     Miami and Toronto to London and the cities where hundreds of 
     thousands of Jamaicans live in North America and the United 
     Kingdom, the response was the same: overwhelmingly positive.
       Whether they were religious ministers, elected officials, 
     health care professionals and administrators, business 
     executives or working men and women, the reaction was the 
     same: the best person has won and Jamaica's government should 
     be in good hands.
       The Rt. Rev. Don Taylor, Episcopal Vicar Bishop of the New 
     York Diocese of the Anglican Church, saw her election and 
     elevation to the Prime Minister's office in a few weeks time 
     as a ``great day'' for the women of Jamaica.
       ``It's a great day when we have reached that point in our 
     history where a woman can taken on the reins of leadership of 
     Jamaica,'' he said. ``As I have done in the past, I will do 
     everything to support her, because in supporting her I am 
     really supporting Jamaica.''
       Not only did Yvonne Graham, Brooklyn's Deputy Borough 
     President, followed along Bishop Taylor's path by pledging 
     support to the Prime Minister-designate, now that the 
     election battle was over but hailed the choice and the 
     significance of a woman heading the government for the first 
     time in the 43-plus years of Jamaica's independence.
       ``I am just absolutely excited that the election of a woman 
     to lead the country has happened in my own hometown and in my 
     lifetime,'' was the way Graham put it. ``I have watched her 
     political career over the years and I know she will make an 
     excellent, excellent Prime Minister. Many of the Jamaicans in 
     the Diaspora with whom I have spoken since the weekend 
     election by the PNP delegates share my elation. I look 
     forward to her leadership and pledge my support in any way 
     that I can to help move Jamaica forward. She is a competent 
     and very popular public figure and has the experience in 
     Government. She is in tune with the people of Jamaica, from 
     top to bottom.''
       Graham believes Simpson-Miller would bring knowledge of the 
     ``grass roots'' and her own record as a ``people-person'' to 
     the job as leader of the Government. ``She understands the 
     needs of the masses and she has a tremendous ability to 
     surround herself with people who can get the job done,'' 
     added the Deputy Borough President. ``One can expect that she 
     would build on the legacy of the current Prime Minister, P.J. 
     Patterson. After all, she has been there for a long time in 
     government, has seen it from the vantage point of different 
     capacities and ministries and knows how to motivate people.''
       New York State Assemblyman Nick Perry, who represents a 
     large East Flatbush District in the legislature in Albany, 
     the State capital, said that by electing a woman to lead the 
     country, the PNP has reinforced Jamaica's track record of 
     ``treating women with equality'' and respect.
       ``We not only claim to be a country where women are treated 
     equally or have access to the same positions and treatment as 
     our men, but we have actually demonstrated that in our 
     action,'' Perry stated. ``The success of Portia Simpson-
     Miller's campaign for the leadership of the ruling PNP says 
     quite clearly to the world that we are in the forefront when 
     it comes to the treatment of women.''
       Beyond issues of gender, Perry credited Simpson-Miller's 
     work ethic, her drive to succeed and determination to lift 
     herself up by her own efforts for the victory over Dr. Peter 
     Phillips, Dr. Omar Davies, and Dr. Karl Blythe.
       ``She didn't come from a background of someone who was born 
     with a golden spoon,'' he added. ``She came from among folks 
     who lived and earned their way. Her parents worked hard to 
     give her an education and she made good use of the 
     opportunities. In essence, she won the election, the old 
     fashioned-way, she earned it.''
       Assemblyman Perry believes her popularity and her badge to 
     the ``masses of Jamaicans'' would enable her to form a 
     government and provide the leadership Jamaica needs at this 
     time of its development.
       ``She will bring the experience of a person who came from 
     among the common people, knowing the have-nots in Jamaica 
     from the time she was a child to her current status in 
     government, one can expect the understanding and empathy that 
     flow from such a background,'' he added.
       Dr. Donna Facey, a physician who heads the Caribbean-
     American Medical and Scientific Association of the United 
     States, is looking to her country's new leader to solidify 
     Jamaica's place in the Caribbean integration movement.
       ``Joining the bulwark of leadership of the region that's 
     going to take the Caribbean Single Market and Economy into 
     the next 50 years, she will be well-placed to make her mark 
     on Jamaica and on the wider Caribbean,'' said Dr. Facey.
       ``Although the campaign within the PNP wasn't strictly 
     about the CSME, if Jamaica and the Caribbean are to survive 
     in a global economy then the CSME would be crucial to future 
     success. As a public figure who is in touch with the common 
     men and women, she can be expected to work closely with the 
     other Caribbean leaders to ensure that the CSME is a 
     success.''
       Vangalane Hunter, a health care administrator and a member 
     of the Board of the Caribbean Women's Health Association in 
     New York City said that Simpson-Miller would have her ``hands 
     full'' as she attempts to address the economic and social 
     needs of her country.
       ``Hopefully, she would be a able to go into the job as 
     Prime Minister and try to do something about the problems and 
     challenges facing Jamaica,'' she said. Jamaicans in both the 
     UK and Canada responded with equal confidence in Simpson-
     Miller's ability to tackle the job head-on and to succeed.
       ``Portia is a woman of great experience,'' said Philip 
     Mascoll, President of the Jamaica Diaspora Canada Foundation. 
     ``She should be judged by her performance, not by the fact 
     that she is a woman.''
                                  ____


                  [From the Carib News, Feb. 28, 2006]

  Portia Simpson-Miller, the People's and PNP Choice To Lead Jamaica 
               Captures Party Presidency in Week-End Vote

       Charismatic, the ``people's choice,'' and a women and a 
     leader for the times facing Jamaica.
       A handful of the glowing and well deserved tributes being 
     lavished on Portia Simpson-Miller by Jamaicans from all walks 
     of life, whether at home or abroad following her stunning 
     victory over Dr. Peter Philips, Dr. Omar Davies and Dr. Karl 
     Blythe in the bruising campaign for the presidency of the 
     ruling People's National Party and ultimately the leadership 
     of the country.
       Simpson-Miller has earned the right to succeed P.J. 
     Patterson, Jamaica's longest serving Prime Minister, the old 
     fashioned way: she worked hard for it, not simply within the 
     party but in the government and among the people. The term 
     used most often to describe her, long before the leadership 
     race began was a ``woman of the people,'' a person from the 
     grassroots who understands Jamaicans, feels their pain, 
     exults in their triumphs and knows what makes them tick.
       Obviously, those qualities worked for her during most of 
     her adult life and should continue to be the pillars on which 
     she moves forward as Prime Minister, the first woman to hold 
     the job. Simpson-Miller's experience in the labor movement, 
     in successive cabinets, and in mobilizing the PNP's rank and 
     file enabled her to stand out in the crowded field of rivals 
     and should help her to chart a national economic and social 
     agenda with the consent, of the governed.
       Clearly, she is more than prepared for the vital task as 
     Jamaica's Prime Minister.
       However, no one should under-estimate the challenges she 
     faces. When the delegates gave her a comfortable victory of 
     1,775 votes to those of her nearest rival, Dr. Phillips' who 
     received 1,538, they recognized that not only was she the 
     most popular political figure in the country but she was 
     quite capable of providing the leadership the nation needs as 
     it seeks to further stabilize its economy, reduce inflation, 
     slash the incidence of crime, create opportunities for its 
     youth, build confidence and make the country an enjoyable and 
     livable place for all of its citizens.
       During the run-up to last week-end's election, the 
     delegates had ample opportunities to assess the qualities of 
     the main contenders and they took a collective decision that 
     the party and the government needed Simpson-Miller now more 
     than ever before. Undoubtedly, they have their eyes on the 
     next election and decided that her popularity with the 
     masses, her political savvy and experience in government made 
     her the best person to carry them and the PNP to victory 
     whenever the campaign bell rings.
       But some things must happen before that. After the divisive 
     campaign, the PNP president-elect and the Prime Minister-
     designate and her competitors must bury the proverbial 
     hatchet and work hard to heal wounds opened up by the 
     leadership fight. The fact that she had the support of only a 
     handful of her ministerial cabinet colleagues and a minority 
     of PNP parliamentarians has increased the burden on Simpson-
     Miller. But few doubt she can't bring most if not all 
     sections of the party together. She must use her 
     appeal within the rank and file to forge a unified party. 
     That's vital if she is to make a fundamental difference.
       Simpson-Miller would be the first to tell anyone that she 
     can't run Jamaica alone and would need the full cooperation 
     of every sector, beginning with the party and going into the 
     larger community--business, the church, labor, civil society, 
     the middle class, working class, the youth and the elderly.
       Clearly, she can bring the nation together behind a shared 
     vision designed to take Jamaica forward, not by rhetoric but 
     by solid action and clear thinking.
       Jamaicans of all walks of life, whether at home or in North 
     America, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean wherever have 
     already signaled that they are eager to join forces with 
     their new leader.
       Judging from their reaction to her victory, Jamaicans in 
     the Diaspora who are a linchpin to the island's continued 
     development and who routinely put aside partisan political 
     differences when opportunity and necessity knock, have full 
     confidence in Simpson-Miller's government. The tens of 
     billions of dollars, which they have sent back to families, 
     are but one example of their commitment to Jamaica. Their 
     technical expertise in a variety of fields which many of them 
     currently put at the government's and the country's disposal 
     is another.
       A leading daily paper in Kingston pointed out a few days 
     ago, immediately after Simpson-Miller's victory that violent 
     crime ``must be dealt with if we are to build a prosperous 
     and vibrant society for all our people.''
       We couldn't agree more.




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