JAMAICA | First Female Speaker of the House of Representatives, Violet Neilson has died at the age of 93

MONTEGO BAY,  June 12, 2024 - Violet Neilson, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives in Jamaica, has passed away at the age of 93.

Mrs. Neilson, who represented the People's National Party  as Member of Parliament  for East Central St James from 1989 to 1997, died Tuesday afternoon.

A teacher for 19 years, Neilson also served as the first female President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS).

Former prime minister PJ Patterson, a former childhood colleague of Mrs Neilson  and among the first to give a public tribute, said “the Passing of Violet Neilson is for me a very personal and painful loss which no words can adequately convey.

A devoted and relentless Representative in the cause of uplifting the children, women and every citizen within her Constituency, the name of Violet Neilson will remain indelibly etched in that annals of our Nation as the first female Speaker of the House of Representative.

Neilson, who served in several People’s National Party (PNP) administrations under Prime Minister PJ Patterson as MP in St James East Central, was succeeded in the constituency by MP Edmund Bartlett, who expressed profound regret at Mrs Neilson’s passing.

The current Speaker of the House, Juliet Holness, made the announcement of Neilson’s passing on the motion for adjournment of the sitting on Tuesday.

“Members, while we sat here in Parliament, about an hour, hour and a half ago, our first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, Violet Neilson, passed away,” Holness said.

The local political landscape is today poorer with the passing of the affable trailblazing Violet Neilson, the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The People’s National Party (PNP) in its tribute, acknowledged the passing of Neilson, a stalwart of Jamaican politics, with profound sadness.

The PNP noted that Neilson passed on Tuesday, “leaving behind a legacy of service, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the people of Jamaica”.

“Violet Neilson made history as the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, serving with distinction from 1997 to 2003. 

Her tenure was marked by her firm yet fair leadership, her integrity, and her tireless advocacy for parliamentary democracy. She was a trailblazer for women in politics and public service, and her contributions have paved the way for many who followed in her footsteps,” said the PNP.

The PNP statement said “throughout her political career, Neilson exemplified the highest standards of public service.

“She was known for her deep compassion, her keen intellect, and her steadfast dedication to her constituents. Her work extended beyond the halls of Parliament, impacting the lives of countless Jamaicans through her community involvement and her championing of social justice,” added the PNP.

The party’s president, Mark Golding, in his tribute to the fallen Comrade said, “Violet Neilson was a beacon of strength and a true servant of the people. 

Her pioneering spirit and her contributions to our nation will never be forgotten. We extend our deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.”