Members of the People’s National Party (PNP) paid tribute to the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica and former PNP leader, Portia Simpson-Miller, at the 86th staging of its annual conference on Sunday, September 15.

PNP councillor for the May Pen West division in Clarendon central Carla Watts, in her remarks, said Simpson-Miller loved poor people and advocated for their well-being.

“Portia loved poor people; Portia is for the poor; Portia is the one that made me what I am today that I can stand before you today, coming from the roots, coming from you the workers to chant my way to now being a candidate for central Clarendon, and if Portia Simpson-Miller was here today, she would have said Prime Minister Andrew Holness; she would have said, Pharaoh, let my people go. One love, big up sister P,” Watts said.

Meanwhile, the PNP’s standard bearer in western Hanover, Western Heatha Miller Bennett, said: “In sports, she was an MVP [most valued player], empowering athletes to reach new heights. I am because of her. Driven to advocate for equal opportunities in sports, her commitment to grass-roots sports developments ignited a passion in me to support initiatives that empower young athletes. As a heavyweight champion of labour, she has delivered knock-out blows to reducing poverty, standing up for workers rights, and creating equal opportunities for people. I am because of her, committed to fighting for workers rights and standing up for the marginalised.”

Bennett said the former prime minister’s fearless approach to social justice inspires her to make a positive impact on Jamaica.

Senator Janice Allen, PNP caretaker for St James Central, noted that Simpson-Miller laid the necessary foundation in tourism, for which Jamaica is now reaping the benefits.

“When we talk of Portia Simpson-Miller, the Minister of Tourism, we talk about the sustainable development and the tourism master plan, the foundation on which everything that they are boasting about today. When we talk about tourism and all of the hotels that have been built and the workers that have been employed, I say that is sister P,” she said.

Allen promised to build on the legacy of Simpson-Miller once the PNP is re-elected to government.

Simpson-Miller served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from March 2006 to September 2007. She was re-elected to office again in January 2012 until March 2016.