Daryl Wesley Vaz is a Jamaican politician.^[1] He was the Minister of Information and Telecommunications in Jamaica from March 2009 to January 2012. His party lost the election and Vaz is now opposition spokesman on Telecommunications.^[2][3]

He was born in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica to Douglas and Sonia Vaz.^[4] His father is a former president of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association and former Minister of Industry and Commerce.^[5]

Daryl Vaz engendered some controversy over his dual United States/Jamaican nationality. His mother, Sonia, was born in Puerto Rico and thus is a United States citizen by birth, albeit also a Jamaican citizen, currently resident in Canada. In 2008 or 2009 he renounced his naturalized United States citizenship in order to remain active in Jamaican politics.^[6]

References[link]

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Kenneth Thorpe Rowe (1900–1988) was a professor and much-loved teacher at the University of Michigan. Rowe taught Shakespeare and modern drama, but was best known as an influential teacher of playwriting.

Approach to playwriting[link]

Rowe regarded playwriting not as a mystical experience, but as a craft that could be understood and analyzed; he had remarkable insight into how a writer could construct a play with an eye toward the most effective development of plot and emotion. Across the span of six decades at Michigan, he taught and inspired legions of notable students, including Josh Greenfeld, Lawrence Kasdan, Dennis McIntyre, Robert McKee, Arthur Miller, Davi Napoleon (aka Davida Skurnick), Betty Smith, and Milan Stitt.

Professor Rowe began his playwriting seminar each semester by asking his students to read "The Poetics" by Aristotle. He then taught them how to identify the workings of classic structure. In Rowe's view, all successful plays built dramatically from an "attack" (the introduction of a conflict) through a crisis and finally to a resolution. He applied his methods even to modern plays that were not unified in time and place; it was Rowe's contention that even non-realistic plays had the classic underlying structure.

Arthur Miller enrolled in Rowe's seminar in 1937. He later described learning from Rowe that the theater "was not a carousel one jumped onto but an instrument one had to learn to play."^[1] His early plays Honors at Dawn and The Grass Still Grows were written under Rowe's tutelage, and his teacher's influence was evident in the careful structural revisions that Miller made as he revised them over time. Honors at Dawn was recognized with a Hopwood Award at Michigan (1937), while The Grass Still Grows won the attention of a theatrical agent.^[2] Thus for Miller, Rowe became "a combination of critical judge and confidant," bringing together a unique "interest in the dynamics of play construction" with "his friendship, which meant much to me.".^[3]

Generosity to his students[link]

Kenneth Rowe's kindness and generosity were legendary and inspired great devotion in his students. According to an article in Michigan Today, Rowe helped Arthur Miller in making his first steps in Broadway by connecting him with people Rowe knew personally in the theater world.^[4][5] When another of his students, Josh Greenfeld, graduated from Michigan, Rowe referred him to Arthur Miller.

Rowe’s student Robert A. Martin (1930–2008) wrote his doctoral dissertation on Miller under Rowe’s direction and went on to edit The Theater Essays of Arthur Miller.^[6] Martin spent most of his career teaching literature, drama, and creative writing at Michigan, and remained lifelong friends with his mentor. For his 1982 collection Arthur Miller: New Perspectives, Martin asked Rowe to write a special essay-memoir, "Shadows Cast Before," in which Rowe recalled and analyzed Miller’s work as a student playwright at Michigan. As Rowe wrote in the opening passage of his essay,

"The image of Arthur Miller as a student at the University of Michigan that recurs most frequently and vividly to my mind comes from the spring of 1938, his senior year....I was in my office at my desk....There was a knock on the door, slightly ajar for the spring weather, and I called "Come in." The door swung open, Arthur stepped inside and stopped at the foot of the steps, looking up, eyes glowing and face alight; and that is the picture that is in my mind, the moment before he announced, 'Professor Rowe, I've made a discovery!'"^[7]

To Rowe’s delight, Martin and Miller opened the Theater Essays with the following joint dedication: "For Kenneth Thorpe Rowe--teacher, scholar, friend."

Published books[link]

In 1939, Rowe published 'Write That Play' ^[8] which dealt with several fundamental topics that relate to the process of writing a stage play, including:

• What A Play Is
• Finding Dramatic Material
• Building The Play
• Analysis of a Great Play: More about One-Act Plays
• Characterization
• Dialogue
• Analysis Of A Long Play
• Before And After The First Draft, Scenarios And Revisions
• Variety
• Historical Conventions
• Functions And Values.

The signature of Rowe's written work was his patient explication of the role and impact of each part of a play's structure; his lucidity and insight were evident in his line-by-line analysis of sample plays such as Ibsen's A Doll's House. The passage of time has done little to diminish the book's value in helping a writer address the enduring practical issues involved in constructing a play. The book was re-published in the United States in 1944 and again in 1968.

Many years later, Rowe's second book 'A Theater In Your Head ' was published in hardcover. Its aim was to help readers of a play visualize a dramatic production, and it also dealt with problems of appreciating dramatic structure.^[9]

References[link]

1. ^ quoted in Martin Gottfried, ""Arthur Miller: His Life and Work."" Da Capo Press, 2003, p. 33.
2. ^ Gottfried, pp. 50-51; "Death of Salesman: Study Guide," Guthrie Theater, 2004, pp. 5-6; .http://www.district87.org/staff/rileym/juniorlit/deathsalesman/salesman.pdf, accessed April 1, 2011;
3. ^ Arthur Miller, Timebends: A Life. New York: Grove Press, 1987, pp. 226-227. For more detail on Rowe and on Miller's Michigan years in general, see Christopher Bigsby, Arthur Miller (Harvard University Press, 2009), pp.77-144.
4. ^ The University of Michigan RECORD Online - Arthur Miller's life summary
5. ^ The Michigan Daily Online - "It's Miller Time"
6. ^ Miller, Arthur. The Theater Essays of Arthur Miller. Edited and with an introduction by Robert A. Martin. Viking, 1978.
7. ^ Martin, Robert A., ed. Arthur Miller: New Perspectives. Prentice-Hall, 1982, p. 13.
8. ^ Rowe, Kenneth Thorpe. Write That Play. Funk and Wagnalls, 1939.
9. ^ Rowe, Kenneth Thorpe. A Theater in Your Head. Funk and Wagnalls, 1960.

External links[link]

• Library Thing - Books by Kenneth Thorpe Rowe

The Most Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller ON MP
Prime Minister of Jamaica
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 January 2012
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Patrick Allen
Preceded by	Andrew Holness
In office 30 March 2006 – 11 September 2007
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Kenneth Hall
Preceded by	Percival Patterson
Succeeded by	Bruce Golding
Minister of Defence, Development, Information and Sports
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 January 2012
Leader of the Opposition
In office 11 September 2007 – 5 January 2012
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Kenneth Hall Patrick Allen
Prime Minister	Bruce Golding Andrew Holness
Preceded by	Bruce Golding
Succeeded by	Andrew Holness
President of the People's National Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 March 2006
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Kenneth Hall Patrick Allen
Preceded by	P. J. Patterson
Personal details
Born	(1945-12-12) 12 December 1945 (age 66) Wood Hall, Jamaica
Nationality	Jamaica
Political party	People's National Party
Spouse(s)	Errald Miller
Alma mater	Union Institute and University

Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller, ON, MP (born 12 December 1945) is the seventh and current^[update] Prime Minister of Jamaica, inaugurated on 5 January 2012 representing the People's National Party. ^[1]Along with being Prime Minister, Simpson-Miller also chose to hold the positions of Minister of Defence, Development, Information and Sports.^[2] She previously served a term in the office from 30 March 2006 to 11 September 2007, as the first woman in that role. She defeated Andrew Holness of the Jamaica Labour Party in the December 2011 general election. Simpson-Miller is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an international network of current and former female presidents and prime ministers.^[3].

Political career[link]

Portia Simpson-Miller with P. J. Patterson and Wykeham McNeill

Simpson-Miller was first elected in 1976 to the Parliament of Jamaica, for the constituency of South West St. Andrew Parish, as a member of the People's National Party. The PNP boycotted the elections called in 1983. She was re-elected to the same seat in a later election, and served as Minister of Labour, Welfare and Sports from 1989 to 1993. She was Minister of Labour and Welfare from 1993 to 1995, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sports from 1995 to February 2000, Minister of Tourism and Sports from February 2000 to October 2002, and Minister of Local Government and Sport since October 2002.^[4]

She was a vice president of the PNP from 1978 to 2006, when she became its president. In the PNP's internal vote to elect P. J. Patterson's successor, held on 26 February 2006, she received 1,775 votes, while her nearest rival, security minister Dr. Peter Phillips, took 1,538 votes.^[5] She garnered approximately 47% of the delegates' vote, making her the first PNP president to be elected by less than half of eligible delegates. In July 2008, Simpson-Miller was challenged for the presidency of the PNP by Phillips. The election was held among the party's delegates on 20 September. She was re-elected as the head of the PNP for her second consecutive year, defeating him by an even wider margin that that of the previous election.

She replaced outgoing Prime Minister Patterson on 30 March 2006, becoming the first female head of government of the nation^[6] and the third in the Anglophone Caribbean following Eugenia Charles of Dominica and Janet Jagan of Guyana. In appointing her first cabinet following her swearing-in, she also assumed the portfolio of defence minister.

On 29 December 2011 she was elected as Prime Minister of Jamaica for a second time, assuming office on 5 January 2012.

2007 elections[link]

On 3 September 2007 her party narrowly lost the general election, retaining 27 seats against the rival Jamaican Labour Party's 33 seats. This margin was revised to 32–28 after recounts and an election petition decision concerning the eligibility of a government MP who had dual citizenship.

Simpson-Miller's loss can in part be attributed to a well planned and executed campaign by the JLP. A part of their campaign strategy was a media blitz that claimed to highlight 18 years of neglect under the PNP and the incompetence of Simpson-Miller as a leader. One ad highlighted the deplorable conditions in Simpson-Miller’s own constituency of South West St. Andrew,^[7] while others were created from controversial interviews^[8] and still others discussed issues surrounding her competence as a leader.^[9]

Simpson-Miller initially refused to concede defeat, alleging voting irregularities and the possibility that recounts would change the final result. The Organization of American States issued a statement declaring the election free and fair. "I believe this election can stand international scrutiny," said OAS assistant secretary-general Albert Ramdin, who led a team of international observers who monitored the election.^[10] She conceded defeat on 5 September.^[11] On 11 September, Simpson Miller was succeeded as Prime Minister by JLP leader Bruce Golding. In 2011 Bruce Golding had resigned giving way for Andrew Holness to become to 9th Prime Minister of Jamaica.^[12]

2011 elections[link]

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and the Leader of the Opposition Andrew Holness lead in their teams for the start of the 2012 Parliament session with their senior Members of Parliament following.

On 5 December 2011, rival JLP Prime Minister Andrew Holness asked the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament, and call for new elections despite the fact that elections were not constitutionally necessary until September 2012. The date of the early election was set as 29 December 2011, and major local media outlets viewed the election as "too close to call", though as Simpson-Miller campaigned in key constituencies the gap widened to favour the PNP. Days before the election, Simpson-Miller came out fully in favor of LGBT rights in a televised debate, sparking an eleventh-hour controversy ahead of the vote.^[13]

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller walks to Parliament while her team follows.

In early vote counting on 29 December, it was apparent that the PNP was winning a large number of swing constituencies. By evening, the Jamaica Observer had declared 41 of 63 constituencies for the PNP.^[14]

The election results were deemed official by the EOJ (Electoral office of Jamaica), Simpson-Miller on the request of the Governor General formed the new Jamaica government in Her Majesty's name for a second non-consecutive term as Jamaica's Prime Minister^[15]. She will be the second individual to have served non-consecutive terms, the first having been Michael Manley.^[16]

She was named Person of the Year by The Gleaner and Observer in the Gleaner awards 2011.^[17]

Political positions[link]

Simpson-Miller has endorsed replacing the position of the monarchy with an elected head of state.^[18] She is the second head of government to openly endorse republicanism after Percival Patterson. Simpson-Miller has reportedly pledged to transform Jamaica into a republic as part of the fiftieth anniversary of the island's independence.^[18][19]She believes Jamaica should become a Republic country in keeping with the mandate of independence.^[20]

After ambivalence during her first term in office, Simpson-Miller became the first head of government in Jamaican history to formally endorse civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens during an election campaign^[13]. Simpson-Miller noted during an election debate that she "has no problem giving certain positions of authority to a homosexual as long as they show the necessary level of competence for the post."^[21] She expressed that equality within a nation for all people is of utmost importance.

Personal life[link]

Simpson-Miller is married to Errald Miller, formerly CEO of Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd. On 29 May 2006 she was vested with the Jamaican Order of the Nation, giving her (and her husband) the title "The Most Honourable".^[22]

See also[link]

• Cabinet of Jamaica

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official profile
• Extended profile
• Update on the Jamaican Economy from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, May 2012

v t e Prime Ministers of Jamaica Alexander Bustamante† · Norman Manley† · Alexander Bustamante · Donald Sangster · Hugh Shearer · Michael Manley · Edward Seaga · Michael Manley · P. J. Patterson · Portia Simpson-Miller · Bruce Golding · Andrew Holness · Portia Simpson-Miller † Served as Chief Minister of Jamaica