News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Fri. Jan 6., 2012: Jamaica’s first female prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, who officially returned to the post she lost more than four years ago, is set to choose her cabinet today.
Simpson Miller, who took the oath of prime minister at 4 p.m. at King’s House Thursday afternoon, will swear in members of the Cabinet is to be held at 11 a.m. today at King’s House.
Simpson Miller’s People’s National Party, (PNP), won the general election in Jamaica on December 29. In the 2007 general elections, the JLP won 32 seats, while the PNP won 28 seats. On Thursday she aid the first order of business for her team would be to assess the true state of the economy. PM Simpson Miller also pledged that the team led by her would discharge its duties responsibly.
Results show that the PNP won 41 seats, while the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), led by its Leader, former Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, won 21 seats. The defeat makes Holness one of the shortest-serving prime ministers in the island nation’s history. He became PM in September, following the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Bruce Golding on the heels of fall outs from the delayed extradition of self-confessed drug lord, Christopher “Dudus” Coke.
In conceding the election, outgoing prime minister and JLP leader, Andrew Holness, accepted the result as the will of the people and said the party would listen to the voice of the people.
“It is a time of reflection and introspection for the Jamaica Labour Party. We see it as an opportunity to rebuild and, starting tomorrow, we will be rebuilding,” a sombre Holness said.
