Tears for Portia - Constituents say thanks to maximum leader

Several persons in South West St Andrew, which has been served by Portia Simpson Miller for more than 40 years, said they are deeply saddened that tomorrow will be her last time sitting in the House of Representatives.

One dedicated constituent,  Sharon McRae of Majesty Gardens, said she plans to journey to Gordon House tomorrow to shed tears of appreciation for ‘Mama P’, who will officially retire on Thursday.

“Me affi go deh go sit down and drop two tears enuh. We feel sad. Is a lady weh me love for her nature. She is a fighter, and she is a strong black woman. She is a loving, caring woman, and I’m glad to know that for all the years, she was the member of parliament for we.  We hope the next person who comes can wear her shoes,” 51-year-old McRae told THE STAR.

Simpson Miller has been representing the constituency since 1976. She was re-elected in 1980, but sat out the 1983 general elections. She then regained the seat in the 1989 elections and retained it to date.

When news of her upcoming retirement reached  74-year-old Lennard Guthrie of Greenwich Farm, he said he cried.

“Tears come inna my eyes when me see say we nah go have Sister P again around us. Nobody else no have no love like wha me see Sister P have fi the people. Many time, if you don’t have food and you walk go round a the office, Sister P pack up food in the bag and give to the people dem,” Guthrie said.

Despite popular criticism that Simpson Miller ‘s constituency is one of the worst in terms of development, her constituent Sharon Deleon of Majesty Gardens, rubbished those claims, pointing to several housing projects spearheaded by Simpson.

“She do nuff good things in the constituency. All them house here, she haffi fight fi dem build, because them did start build, and when the next party come inna power, them stop. A when she come back inna power them finish,” Deleon said.

There were others, such as Noel Wright of Caribbean Palm, who said Simpson Miller could have done more for her constituents, but he added that she has left large shoes to fill.

“She coulda set the place nicer, but we appreciate what she has done a lot. She is a nice woman. Me used to live inna board house and she come and she developed the place.” he said.

Parliament will be showing respect to former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in a sitting scheduled for tomorrow at 2 p.m.