Portia Simpson-Miller
Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller ON (born 12 December 1945) is a Jamaican former politician. She served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from March 2006 to September 2007 and again from 5 January 2012 to 3 March 2016. She was the leader of the People's National Party from 2005 to 2017 and the Leader of the Opposition twice, from 2007 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2017.
Portia Simpson-Miller | |
|---|---|
| 7th Prime Minister of Jamaica | |
| In office 5 January 2012 – 3 March 2016 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor‑General | Patrick Allen |
| Deputy | Peter Phillips |
| Preceded by | Andrew Holness |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Holness |
| In office 30 March 2006 – 11 September 2007 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor‑General | Kenneth Hall |
| Preceded by | P. J. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Golding |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 3 March 2016 – 2 April 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Andrew Holness |
| Preceded by | Andrew Holness |
| Succeeded by | Peter Phillips |
| In office 11 September 2007 – 5 January 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Bruce Golding Andrew Holness |
| Preceded by | Bruce Golding |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Holness |
| President of the People's National Party | |
| In office 30 March 2005 – 26 March 2017 | |
| Preceded by | P. J. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | Peter Phillips |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Portia Lucretia Simpson 12 December 1945 Wood Hall, Colony of Jamaica |
| Political party | People's National Party |
| Spouse |
Errald Miller (m. 1998) |
| Alma mater | Union Institute and University |
While serving as prime minister, Simpson-Miller retained the positions of Minister of Defence, Development, Information and Sports. She has also served as Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sport, Minister of Tourism and Sports and Minister of Local Government throughout her political career. Following her election win in December 2011, when her party defeated the Jamaica Labour Party, she became the second individual since independence to have served non-consecutive terms as prime minister, the first having been Michael Manley. The People's National Party under her leadership lost the 25 February 2016 general election by only one seat to the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party. One political commentator described the poll as "the closest election Jamaica has ever had". Following this defeat, Simpson-Miller stepped down in 2017.
Simpson-Miller was ranked by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012. In 2011, she was named Person of the Year by The Gleaner and Observer.