Former House Speaker Violet Neilson
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Speaker Violet Neilson addressing the House of Representatives in 1998
Violet Neilson, a former Speaker of the Jamaican House of Representatives, died on Tuesday.
Mrs Neilson's appointment as Speaker in 1997 was groundbreaking, with her becoming the first woman to achieve this milestone.
A teacher for many years, she represented the constituency of St. James East Central in the House of Representatives from 1989 to 2002 when she got involved in representational politics, running on the ticket of the People's National Party (PNP).
Former PNP President and Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, expressed his sorrow at the passing of his former colleague and longtime friend:
"This 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."
Mrs Neilson was also an avid farmer and leader in the field, devoting significant time with the Jamaica 4H Club movement and the Jamaica Agricultural Society.
She was 92.
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