The People's National Party of Jamaica has chosen Portia Simpson-Miller as its new leader. That means that, in a few weeks, she'll become Jamaica's first woman prime minister, and the third female head of government in the Anglophone Americas. Only Dominica and Canada hitherto had female prime ministers. Haiti, Nicaragua, and Argentina have had woman presidents.
This is a big deal. Portia represents a break for the PNP in more than one sense. She's the first leader not to have been educated abroad, and the first not to have a reputation as an intellectual. On the other hand, she has a close connection to the party's grass-roots. All one can do is wish her the best of luck, and see what eventuates over the next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment