Black Habits - First female PM to take office in Jamaica

Associated Press Kingston, Jamaica â€” A Cabinet minister was positioned to become Jamaica's next prime minister and first female head of government Saturday after narrowly beating a former Rastafarian in internal elections to head the country's ruling party.

In the Jamaican system, the majority party's president automatically becomes prime minister. About 3,800 delegates of the People's National Party voted.

Portia Simpson Miller, local government minister, received 1,775 votes for the party presidency, while Peter Phillips, national security minister, came in second with 1,538 ballots, said Danville Walker, director of elections at the Electoral Office of Jamaica.

Three Cabinet ministers and a party vice president vied to replace the party's president, Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, who said he would resign by April after 14 years on the job.

"I accept your mandate ... and pledge to honour my commitment to serve as a leader for all," Ms. Simpson Miller told supporters.

Mr. Phillips, a former Rastafarian, served as transport and health minister. The Rastafarian religion hold that blacks will eventually be repatriated to Africa and advocates the ritual use of marijuana. Followers let their hair grow, uncombed, into dreadlocks.

Note: HOWARD CAMPBELL of the Associated Press