Prime Minister-Designate Portia Simpson Miller (centre) is flanked by former Prime Minister Edward Seaga (left) and outgoing Prime Minister P J Patterson at a function in Patterson's honour at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Tuesday evening. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Outgoing Prime Minister P J Patterson and his successor Portia Simpson Miller spent yesterday in a seeming unending stream of meetings ahead of this afternoon's historic swearing-in of Simpson Miller as Jamaica's first woman prime minister at King's House, the official residence of the head of state, in the capital.

Sounding a bit weary, Simpson Miller told the Observer that she had not been able to go to her office at the Ministry of Local Government because of a schedule of back-to-back meetings outside the confines of the ministry.

"I have been out of office all day because of a number of meetings. I will have to arrange a time to properly say farewell to my staff," said Simpson Miller, who declined to be specific about the nature of the meetings.

She said that whoever succeeded her at the ministry could rely on her to make the transition as smooth as possible.
"That successor would have an easy time because I can (as prime minister) hold the required briefings with all the necessary parties," said Simpson Miller.

At the Office of the Prime Minister, press secretary Sandra Graham recounted a tale of endless meetings, functions, signings and courtesy calls for Patterson.

"Everybody wants a piece of him," said Graham. "Right now he is meeting with the Police Federation, then he is scheduled to meet with the Jamaica Development Bank. He launches two books after that: PJ Patterson in the Eyes of the World - a compilation of tributes from world leaders; and The Transforming Landscape of Jamaica, which summarises a series of panel discussions on a range of national issues organised by the Cabinet Office.

"In the evening, the Civil Service Association will be bidding him farewell at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel," added Graham, who noted that Patterson had, for the past few weeks, been receiving a steady stream of visitors "some scheduled, some just dropping by" to give their regards.

Reflecting on her boss, Graham, who has spent 23 years in the government service, including 18 months as the prime minister's press secretary, paid her own tribute to him.
"It's the way he corrects you, he guides you in a gentle way that you do not lose your dignity," she said.

Prime Minister P J Patterson (left) accompanied by (from left) Governor General Prof Kenneth Hall and Prime Minister-Designate Portia Simpson Miller, arrives at a farewell dinner hosted at Jamaica House on Monday by members of the Cabinet. Partly hidden is the wife of the governor-general, Rhema Hall. (Photo: JIS)

"When you are having a rough day, he will come over to you and just by his comforting presence, even without talking about your rough day, he consoles you.

"In him you don't have a boss but a boss-friend. In all my years in the public sector I have never come across someone with so much humility and dignity as P J Patterson."

Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, communications officer Anneke Rousseau noted that K D Knight, who this week announced his decision to retire from the government, had a busy day "signing letters and putting things in place for his successor".

"Right now he is getting ready to go to Parliament, and later this afternoon he will open the Commodore Business Centre in Linstead in his constituency," Rousseau told the Observer.

Knight's decision was widely expected as he had made unflattering remarks about Simpson Miller's competence in the lead up to the February 25 leadership selection in the governing People's National Party.

Patterson, known for his penchant for symbolic dates, will hand in his resignation today, 14 years to the date he first took the oath of office as prime minister at the same venue of this evening's event.

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