KOKOnista Of The Day: Lisa Hanna Is A Former Miss World And Probably The Youngest Jamaican Member Of Parliament

Lisa Rene Hanna is a Jamaican politician and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 1993, becoming the third Jamaican to win the title.

A member of the opposition People’s National Party, Hanna currently serves as Member of Parliament for Saint Ann South East, and was Jamaica’s Minister of Youth and Culture from 2012-2016.
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Hanna was a candidate in the 2020 People’s National Party leadership election, following the PNP’s defeat at the 2020 Jamaican general election and the subsequent resignation of PNP President and Opposition Leader, Peter Phillips. Hanna was defeated by Mark Golding.

Lisa Hanna was born in Retreat, St. Mary Parish to Rene Hanna of Lebanese descent and Dorothy Hosang of African and Chinese descent. Hanna married David Panton in 1999 in New York City. Hanna and Panton had a son in 2001. 
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They divorced in 2004 in Atlanta. In December 2017, Hanna married Jamaican businessman Richard Lake in St. Andrew, Jamaica. Together Richard Lake and Lisa Hanna run Lydford Logistics a contract manufacturing, commercial warehouse and shipping operation in Moneague, Jamaica.

In 1998, Hanna acted in the romantic comedy How Stella Got Her Groove Back. In 2003, Hanna tried her hand in broadcasting, hosting a Jamaican talk show Our Voices and was a guest presenter on Xtra in the United States. She returned to her country a year later and was a communications consultant for the Hilton Hotel in New Kingston.

In the 2007 general election, as a member of the People’s National Party, Hanna contested and won the seat for St. Ann South East. Hence, positioning her as a Member of Parliament for that Constituency. She is one of the youngest women to be elected to the Jamaican Parliament. In addition to her duties as constituency representative she served as opposition spokesperson on Information, Youth and Culture up to December 2011. In the 29 December 2011 polls her party was elected into power. She was subsequently appointed as Minister of Youth and Culture.

On November 7, 2020 the PNP elected Mark Golding as its 6th President after he defeated challenger Hanna by 1,740 votes to 1,444 in the 2020 People’s National Party leadership election. 

Photo Credit: Getty 

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