ALL 34 MPs of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) yesterday stuck to tradition and endorsed Portia Simpson Miller for the office of prime minister when incumbent P J Patterson resigns in approximately one month’s time.

The vote by the MPs at a meeting held at Jamaica House immediately put to rest concerns that some MPs may not support Simpson Miller as head of government despite her victory in Saturday’s contest for the presidency of the PNP, beating off the challenge of fellow ministers Peter Phillips and Omar Davies, and backbencher Karl Blythe.

Phillips had the support of most of the MPs, but the just under 4,000 PNP delegates gave the nod in Saturday’s vote to Simpson Miller, the popular local government minister.

Jamaica House, in a statement after the meeting, said government MPs voted “unanimously and by acclamation” to name Simpson Miller as the person who commands their support for prime minister.

Prime Minister Patterson told Parliament later in the afternoon that all 34 government Members of Parliament had endorsed Simspon Miller as their choice to be the new prime minister of Jamaica.

In an unprecedented announcement, Patterson, when it was time for “Statement by Ministers”, made what he described as “a distinctly historic statement”.

“For the very first time,” he said, “a prime minister is announcing in the chambers of this honourable House, the advice which will be given to the governor-general by the incumbent when I tender my resignation as prime minister. And the governor-general is required to act in accordance with the provisions of Section 70, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of Jamaica.

“As everyone is aware, delegates of the People’s National Party voted last Saturday to designate which of four contenders should succeed me as president and leader of the People’s National Party. This was done in a peaceful and orderly fashion.

“I convened today (Tuesday), a meeting at Jamaica House of all the Members of Parliament who sit on this side of the House. Everyone, including you Mr Speaker, was in attendance. Unanimously and by acclaim, they have authorised me to advise the governor-general that when he comes to make an appointment of my successor, the best person able to command the confidence of a majority of the members of this House is the Member of Parliament for South West St Andrew and the Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport, the Hon Portia Lucretia Simpson Miller.”

Both sides of the House applauded hard and long at the announcement.

Patterson then concluded: “I hereby notify the House that I will be pleased in due course to advise accordingly.”

Bruce Golding, the leader of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party, lost no time in congratulating Simpson Miller, even after having done so publicly on the weekend and again, personally, in writing. He extended to the prime minister-designate, on behalf of the Opposition, “congratulations and our best wishes”.

Simpson Miller, dressed in beige business suit and cream blouse, arrived in the House quietly, as usual, about 12 minutes before the sitting started. She rose on being called on by the speaker and acknowledged, as graciously as she was brief, the endorsement of her colleagues and the congratulations of the Opposition.

“Mr Speaker, I rise to thank the prime minister and members of this honourable House, on both sides, for your support. I would like to thank the members of this side of the House for their confidence and support and to say to both sides of the House I look forward to working with all of you for the betterment of the quality of life of all our people. Thank you very much.”

Before the speeches she talked from her seat with Davies, the minister of finance and planning, and Phillips, minister of national security, and other colleagues seated near to her.

There was only a handful of visitors in the gallery save for 24 students and lecturers from the University of Technology in Kingston.

Simpson Miller wrote her name in the history books on Saturday by becoming the first woman to be president of the ruling People’s National Party.

Usually, the political party which has the majority in Parliament selects its leader to be prime minister and informs the governor-general privately about its decision. So Patterson’s statement yesterday was as unusual as it was historic and apparently designed to quash any rumour of a revolt against Simpson Miller.

Patterson said on Saturday that he would remain in office for another four to five weeks to see to a smooth transition to his successor.

The PNP has formed the government continuously since 1989 and, were Simpson Miller and her team to win the next general election, due at the end of 2007, the party would be in government for an unprecedented five terms.