Jamaica's first female prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller.

By Barry Weisleder, Montego Bay, Jamaica

January 6, 2012 -- Socialist Action (Canada), posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal with the author's permission -- Car horns blared, orange flags waved and campaign reggae jingles pulsated. Youthful political celebrants blew vuvuzelas from roving car caravans on the evening of December 29, 2011, continuing well past sunrise, across the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica.

A snap election called by the governing Jamaica Labour Party catapulted the opposition People's National Party into government after a five-year hiatus. In terms of seats in the House of Representatives, it was a landslide, 41-22 for the PNP. In terms of votes, it was a 3 per cent shift from the very close 2007 results. This time the PNP won 53 per cent, the JLP 47 per cent. Political pundits were equally surprised by the relatively large margin of victory, and by the record low 52 per cent turnout.

Cuban revolutionary Celia Hart addresses the “A World in Revolt'' conference, Toronto, Canada, May 22-25, 2008.

A World in Revolt

Prospects for Socialism in the 21st Century
An international political education conference, May 22-25, 2008 at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 252 Bloor Street West (St. George Subway Station), Toronto, sponsored by Socialist Action-Canada, Socialist Action-United States, and the Socialist Unity League (LUS) of Mexico.

Thursday, May 22
7 p.m. Palestine, the Annapolis trap, and the Global Boycott Campaign -- Andy Pollack (SA-US, New York), Mazen Masri (Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid-Toronto) and Khaled Mouammar (President, Canadian Arab Federation).

Friday, May 23
4 p.m. Feminism, Anti-Racism and Immigrants' Rights – The Marxist View -- Sarah O'Sullivan (SA-Canada, Halifax), Jason McGahan (SA-US, Connecticut) and Rebecca Doran (SA-US, San Francisco).