Queen Portia owns Jamaica House

Jamaica welcomed 2012 with a new government in waiting for an official transfer of power.  After the Seven Day Wonder (seven days leading up the December 29th elections) as I called it, team Portia came out with an astonishing landslide victory over the Andrew Holness led JLP, winning by two-thirds majority.  While we don't go into the reasons for this defeat by the JLP, it must be said that the margin of victory was beyond the imagination of anybody including the PNP.

The official victory margin now stands at 42 seats to 21 in favour of the PNP. To put it figuratively: 

  "Portia owns Jamaica House"  

Meanwhile the JLP are left to lick their wounds and the postmortem for Andrew Holness is in earnest.  He would now have more questions than answers as it were, and he must be feeling aggrieved by the outcome of the polls and the fact that he had to give up the enviable status of Prime Minister of Jamaica. Moreover, he has to repack his bags only month after unpacking them at the Prime Ministers Residence on Hope Rd. While he reflect on the events of the last couple months he inevitably has to deal with rejection by his people.

As Mrs Simpson-Miller was being sworn in on Thursday January 5th it must have been De Javu for Mr. Holness as only a few weeks ago he was at that said Kings house in much the same company. This time however he looked on with mixed emotions.  It must be said above all that Mrs' Simpson-Miller gave an excellent account of herself and all Jamaicans, black, white, green, orange or whatever have to give her respect for what she has accomplished.

Even before the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday the questions were up in the air as to who will form the cabinet and how many members.  As it were the new cabinet was sworn in the following day and has the following dimension: Source Jamaica Information Service

The Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller - Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Development, Information and Sports.

Ministers
   
Dr. Peter Phillips - Finance, Planning & the Public Service
Sen. Arnold Nicholson, Q.C - Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade
Mr. Peter Bunting - National Security
Rev. Ronald Thwaites - Education
Ms. Lisa Hanna - Youth and Culture
Mr. Robert Pickersgill - Water, Land, Environment & Climate Change
Dr. Fenton Ferguson - Health
Mr. Anthony Hylton - Industry, Investment & Commerce
Mr. Mark Golding - Justice
Mr. Derrick Kellier - Labour and Social Security
Mr. Noel Arscott - Local Government & Community Development
Dr. Omar Davies - Transport, Works & Housing
Dr. Wykeham McNeil - Tourism & Entertainment
Mr. Phillip Paulwell - Mining, Energy & ICT
Mr. Roger Clarke - Agriculture & Fisheries

Ministers Without Portfolio

Dr. Morais Guy - Transport, Works & Housing (Housing)
Sen. Sandrea Falconer - Office of the Prime Minister (Information)
Mr. Horace Dalley - Finance, Planning & Public Service (Public Service)
Mrs. Natalie Neita-Headley - Office of the Prime Minister (Sports)

Ministers of State

Mr. Arnoldo Brown - Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade
Mrs. Sharon Ffolkes Abrahams - Industry, Investment & Commerce
Mr. Ian Hayles - Agriculture & Fisheries
Mr. Colin Fagan - Local Government & Community Development
Mr. Richard Azan - Transport, Works & Housing
Mr. Damion Crawford - Tourism & Entertainment
Mr. Julian Robinson - Mining, Energy & ICT
Mr. Luther Buchanan - Office of the Prime Minister

Senators

Sen. Sandrea Falconer
Sen. Arnold Nicholson
Sen. Mark Golding

Already we have heard talks and arguments about the size of the cabinet.  By our count however it appear to have less full minsters than the former administration.  Whether the full compliment and cost is greater, is a subject for debate. 

The business of governance now squarely sits in the hands of these men and women and Mrs Simpson-Miller will have a huge task managing the the team and the myriad of problems in the country.   Jamaica house will never be the same however, if the manifesto is anything to go by.  According to one supporter we interviewed, "Portia is the owner for the yard and she only rent it out for a while.  Now she's back"

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Is the team capable of transforming the country's fortunes?  Leave us a comment on your thoughts about the new administration.