Portia Lucretia Simpson Miller wrote her name in Jamaica’s history books on March 30, 2006 when she was sworn-in as the country’s first woman prime minister and immediately pledged to advance human rights and individual liberty.

She also promised to work with the Opposition to eradicate crime, widely perceived as the nation’s most pressing problem.

Simpson Miller, 60 at the time, also pledged to “work tirelessly” to rid the country of corruption and extortion and to create the conditions for employment opportunities and wealth creation.

She portrayed her achievement as a “true manifestation of the Jamaican dream” and suggested that a spirit of hope was dominant at the inauguration ceremony at King’s House, framing her speech under the theme of unity and co-operation.

The new prime minister also promised to:

* keep hope alive;

* recapture the nation’s cultural roots in terms of traditional courtesy, decency and good manners;

* break the power of criminals and restore power to communities; and

* launch a new era of co-operation with the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

But, even as the newly appointed prime minister was being sworn-in, the theme of unity was already under threat, as Opposition Leader Bruce Golding and his wife were missing from the proceedings, having left King’s House prematurely after failing to secure seats among the thousands of guests who filled virtually every seat on the lawn.

The former opposition leader, Edward Seaga and his wife Carla, remained to the end as they were seated in the front row beside the visiting leaders from Caricom and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Dressed in a champagne-coloured suit, Simpson Miller smiled broadly as Governor-General Kenneth Hall hailed her formally as prime minister. The announcement was greeted by a deafening roar from the large crowd, which took up every square inch of the lush, green lawn.

None of the newly elected female leaders from around the world, including Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, who were listed among possible guests, were present. But the Caribbean Community (Caricom) was well represented by prime ministers Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, Owen Arthur of Barbados and Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines. A US congressional team and chief minister Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands also attended.

Governor-General Hall called the event the “most momentous transition in our nation’s history” and suggested that it should be regarded as a “defining moment”.

Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson said that he was particularly gratified that the country had experienced “a seamless and transparent” leadership change which had enhanced “the best and most wholesome of our Jamaican political traditions”.

Said Patterson: “I am confident that the country will be able to rise to new levels of economic growth and witness upward social mobility, as we continue to build on the foundations which have been well and truly laid.”

Simpson Miller became prime minister after securing victory in an internal People’s National Party (PNP) presidential election to choose Patterson’s successor.

The singing of the local gospel anthem Can’t Even Walk, featuring former Grace Thrillers lead singer Shirley Willis, supported by the Kencot Youth Choir and saxophonist Dean Fraser, heralded Simpson Miller’s maiden speech as prime minister of Jamaica.

She opened with a prayer before wading into her speech, highlighting the many social and economic problems facing the country and promising not to betray