[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




MARCH 30, 2006 INAUGURATION OF PORTIA SIMPSON MILLER PRIME MINISTER OF 
                                JAMAICA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 28, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce in to the Record 
my sincerest congratulations and best wishes for Portia Simpson Miller, 
Jamaica's newly-installed President of the People's National Party and 
newly-elected Prime Minister, on her imminent Inauguration on March 30, 
2006.
  Celebrants of Women's History Month in Jamaica and elsewhere had much 
to rejoice about as Simpson Miller made history on February 25th, when 
she was elected the first woman president of the 68-year old People's 
National Party (PNP). With this, the stage was set for more history: 
she will become the first woman Prime Minister of the great nation of 
Jamaica.
  Simpson Miller knows full well the numerous challenges in store as 
she embarks on this political journey as Prime Minister. She is no 
stranger to the political arena--where partisan and national 
expectations are high--and realizes that there is much to be done to 
address the many problems of the Jamaican society. The much anticipated 
question about the direction in which Simpson Miller intends to take 
the country will begin to unfold in a couple of days when she is sworn 
in as Prime Minister and appoints her Cabinet to implement her 
priorities.
  Yesterday, in Ocho Rios, St. Ann Jamaica, Simpson Miller shed a 
single tear as she accepted the People's National Party's symbolic 
baton of leadership from P.J. Patterson, the outgoing Prime Minister. 
Simpson Miller stressed the need for unity, and urged the party to have 
its election machinery oiled and ready by June this year. Simpson 
Miller praised Patterson, who has led the party for 14 years, for 
helping her political career, and she paid tribute to their friendship 
even when they competed against each other for the presidency fourteen 
years ago.
  In her acceptance speech yesterday before ruling party's National 
Executive Council (NEC) she calmly stated ``I come to you today with no 
malice, no malice whatsoever, because I come today as your party 
leader. I am determined to lead a united party. I am determined to 
build bridges that will lead to unity of purpose and accomplishment of 
our mission. I am determined to devote my energy and time to the 
healing process because it is only in unity that we can have strength, 
and it is only in strength that we can be assured of the success of our 
programs and victory for the fifth term''.
  Mr. Speaker, with change come challenges. There are always skeptics 
and detractors lurking on the horizon waiting to pounce at the first 
signs of failure. I am confident that Portia Simpson Miller will rise 
to lead the great Jamaican nation into the future with optimism and 
hope.

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