Patterson (left) and Simpson Miller.

Every day until August 6, The Gleaner looks back at significant milestones that have helped shape the nation. Don't miss this nostalgic journey.

2006 - PJ out, Portia in

After thirteen years as president of the People's National Party and Prime Minister of Jamaica, P.J. Patterson retired from public life in 2006.

An election to succeed him was contested by Portia Simpson Miller, Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr Karl Blythe and Dr. Omar Davies. Simpson Miller won.

She was sworn in as Jamaica's first female Prime Minister by Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall at King's House. She became the seventh Prime Minister of Jamaica, and also the first woman to hold this office.

Also in 2006, over three million visitors, chose to make Jamaica their destination for travel. This was 10 times the number of visitors, 316,000, who came to the island in 1965 and which then positioned the tourism industry as second in line to the bauxite industry as a revenue earner.

Of this amount, one million came from the United States of America

In 2006, too, Jamaica was listed as a premier wedding and honeymoon destination, being listed in Britain's top 10 destinations for British nationals who get married overseas. Twelve years before, in 1994, Jamaica was voted the number one honeymoon destination and number three among single working women.