Three years later, in 1983 served as a party Spokeswoman on Women's Affairs, Pension, Social Security, and Consumer Affairs until 1989 when she returned back to her seat in Parliament. She ran for the Presidency of PNP in 1993, but lost to Percival Noel James Patterson, however, she continued to serve in Patterson's in his cabinet. In 1995, Miller took over the Labour and Welfare portfolio as well as the Social Security and Sports portfolio. Moreover, in 2000 she added to her responsibilities by moving to the ministry of Tourism and Sports. After the election of 2002, she returned to local government, but this time as head. .
During the time that Portia Simpson Miller was in charge of Labour, she took a great deal of interest in the working conditions of the Jamaicans. Miller managed to improve farmers working conditions through strategic investments of the National Insurance Fund. She also established day care facilities for the children of the working parents. When Portia worked in the Tourism Ministry, she was the leading architect of Jamaica's Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, Miller has been determined in promoting and strengthening urban renewal and community development, leading to fundamental reforms in local government. Also, after the 9/11 attacks in the United States, Portia Simpson Miller had to promote Jamaica as a safe place for tourism and travelers. She worked hard with the airport security to insure to travelers that they were safe to travel to Jamaica. As Sports minister, she has championed "the island's young athletes as role models" (Portia Simpson-Miller). In 2007, she was awarded with the International Olympic Committee's World Women and Sport Trophy for her dedication to all the women that are involved in sports in Jamaica. It was also under Miller's lead that the Indoor Sports Facility at the National Stadium was built and the Sports Development Foundation was established.
