Portia's charm offensive!

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

And so, after perhaps one of the nastiest election campaigns, the People's National Party's (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller and her party emerged victorious at the December 29 polls.

In what might have been a campaign strategy based on class warfare, with the then Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government and its satellites pitting themselves as the urbane young sophisticats against the earthy, supposedly maladroit Simpson Miller, the JLP campaign machinery was in full throttle. It sought to play upon what it perceived as its trump card - middle-class exaggerated dislike of Simpson Miller.

Unfortunately for the JLP and its G2K arm, they never got the memo. Simpson Miller is not only the most popular grass-roots politician in Jamaica, but where she fails to connect with the chattering classes, she connects with the majority in a capacity that would befuddle those self-appointed prognosticators of voting trends.

And in not getting the 'memo', the JLP and its team of apologists went on their merry way seeking to transfer their own insecurities to the masses. They made Simpson Miller the sum total of their campaign. And, had it stopped there, the JLP might have still remained a contender, but they took it to the baser level of personal vilification.

Well, the electorate has spoken, overwhelmingly giving Simpson Miller her own mandate. And while the naysayers are still shell-shocked, with some still in hiding, Simpson Miller has ascended to the highest political office of the land. On Thursday, January 5, she became prime minister in what was a fabulous swearing-in ceremony at King's House, with many dignitaries, her supporters and a few detractors in attendance.

To begin with, the swearing-in ceremony of Simpson Miller struck all the right notes in style, content and context. There was to be no vuvuzelas; the campaigning was over. This departure, as well as the tone and content of her inaugural speech, and the all-embracing entertainment spoke to the majesty and national occasion.

In fact, Prime Minister Simpson Miller in her elegantly tailored beige ensemble made for a supremely stylish and confident woman.

The ceremony was all peaches and crème, and emotionally so, as Simpson Miller took the oath of office, there was no way of damming the tears of joy that welled in this here scribe's eyes. Her taking the oath of office was the ultimate vindication of her years of distinguished service to her constituents and people of Jamaica. She was at the pinnacle of the political establishment by dint of hard work and dedication.

In her many years of service, Simpson Miller has demonstrated a penchant for nothing but hard work and an aversion to personal self-aggrandisement. She has opted for further self-empowerment instead of material acquisitions as many others have been accused of.

Among those out were former Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Hall; former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson; former Prime Minister Edward Seaga and Carla Seaga; Premier McKeeva Bush of the Cayman Islands; United States (US) Congressman Malcolm Smith; US Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and her mom, former US Councilwoman Una Clarke; Raymond Thomas, representing Nassau County, New York; Cuban delegation headed by vice-president of the Council of State, Esteban Lazo Hernandez; Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra; and Francisco Dutil Hernandez; and Dr Pablo Lino Alfonso; Justice Michael Tulloch, in from Canada; and Prime Minister Simpson Miller's former lecturers: Dr Marie Boggart; Dr and Mrs Michael Treddenick; and Professor Angela Byles, from Florida; esteemed hotelier The Honourable John Issa and his daughters Muna Issa and Zein Issa Nakash and her husband businessman Chris Nakash; Kenny Benjamin; Dr D.K. Duncan and the elegant Beverley Anderson-Manley.

We saw K.D. Knight and Dr Pauline Knight; former Cabinet Secretary Dr Carlton Davis; Ambassador Burchell and Jolene Whiteman; the dapper Steve Ashley and his fab wife, Betty-May Joe, and Bernadette Matalon; Michelle Rollins; Churchill Neita; Professor Dr Winston Davidson and wife, Dr Sonia Davidson; Professor Dr Carolyn Cooper and her sibling, Donnette Cooper, who jetted in from Washington, DC; their brother Kingsley Cooper and his companion, the lovely Romae Gordon and her mom, Hortense Waul; Dr Guyan Arscott; Len and Debbie Crooks; broadcaster/actress Fae Ellington.

Former president of the Senate Syringa Marshall-Burnett and her husband, Jasper; the elegant Jeanette Hutchinson; the venerable Anne Shirley; Custos of St Mary, Bobby Pottinger; Mayor of Portmore His Worship Keith Hinds; businessman Ian Levy; Louis Williams and wife Tamara Scott-Williams; Richard Burger and his fab daughter, Keisha; David Thwaites; Pamela Redwood; former world and Olympic sprint champion Donovan Bailey.

Dean of The Diplomatic Corps Venezuelan Ambassador His Excellency Noel Martinez Ochoa; US Ambassador Her Excellency Pamela Bridgewater; Isiah Parnell; Russian Ambassador Viktor Zotin; French Ambassador HE Marc-Olivier Gendry; Spanish Ambassador Her Excellency Celsa Nuño and her husband Alex Crowther; Belgian Ambassador Frederic Meurice; head of the ISA Ambassador Nii Odunton; Senegalese Ambassador Naffisoto Diagne; British High Commissioner Richard and Jill Drake; Canadian High Commissioner Stephen Hallihan and wife, Kathy; Indian High Commissioner Mohinder Grover; South African High Commissioner Mathu Joyini; Nigerian High Commissioner Peter Oyedele; Trinidad and Tobago's High Commissioner Dr Ivor Gloudon; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Honorary Consul of Finland Andrew Issa; Honorary Consul of Thailand Thalia Lyn and Deputy Consul Captain David McRae; Honorary Consul of Portugal Paul Issa; Honorary Consul of Ghana Patrick and Marguerite Lynch; Josef Forstmayr; the lovely Sonia Rickards; Brian 'Ribbie' Chung; Mrs Yvonne McCalla-Sobers; former police commissioner and one-time PNP candidate Lucius Thomas; former JLP MP who switched to the PNP, the lovely Verna Parchment; Carl Bliss; the lovely Marilyn Bennett; Wayne and Patricia Sutherland; Ricky Chin; the charming Ingrid Green; Patrick Pitter; Kamal Powell; the fab Donna Aris from Florida; Pamela Watson, also from Florida, and many more.