KINGSTON, Jamaica – Former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and former Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for St Andrew West Rural, Dr Mavis Gilmour, top a list of 60 people who have been selected to receive the Prime Minister’s Diamond Jubilee Award that forms part of the celebratory activities under the Jamaica 60 celebrations.

Both women have distinguished themselves in public life with Simpson Miller being Jamaica’s first female prime minister and the first woman to be elected president of the People’s National Party. For her part, Gilmour was the first woman to hold the Cabinet position of Education Minister. She served in the Jamaica Labour Party Government of Edward Seaga from 1980-1989.

Simpson Miller and Gilmour will be receiving special awards for their contributions to more than seven of the 15 priority areas that are used to select nominated Jamaicans for their contributions to Jamaica’s National Development Plan.

This was disclosed in the House of Representatives by the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, as she formally announced the establishment of a Bi-Cameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians. The debate on the motion to establish caucus concluded on Tuesday with the House giving its approval for the setting up of the historic body.

“I rise … with great enthusiasm and excitement in furtherance of a motion that I placed before this honourable House in May 2021, which sought that the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives be amended to allow for the Bi-Cameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians to be established as a Sessional Select Committee to sit jointly with a similarly comprised committee of the Senate,” Grange said when she opened the debate.

She said it was because of this “proud legacy of women such as Simpson Miller and Gilmour that we the women in Parliament, conscious of the role we play in leading transformational change for women across the board in this country, have been prepared to bridge all political divides as part of the effort to work for the betterment of women in Jamaica”.

“As women who are in the House, we are held to a greater responsibility to ensure that the needs of our girls and women in society are reflected in the legislative agenda in the country,” Grange added.