… He served his party and country with distinction, says Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin
GUYANA has lost an exemplary statesman in Mr. Winston Murray, a member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), who succumbed Monday evening.
Since his death, and during his illness, well wishers have, and continue to, rally around in support of his family, giving something back to the man who impacted their lives in one way or the other.
Murray died Monday evening around 19:20 hrs after being unconscious and on life support for 11 days in the Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The 69-year-old Member of Parliament was rushed to the Balwant Singh Hospital after he collapsed at Houston outside a lotto ticketing booth, before reaching his home at Continental Park, East Bank Demerara. He was subsequently taken to the GPHC.
A CT scan soon after his admission revealed that Murray was dealing with severe hemorrhage in his brain. He also suffered from diabetes and hypertension.
Jamaican based neurosurgeon, Dr. Ivor Crandon, examined Murray and said that no surgical intervention could be made because of the state of his vital signs including no responses from his brain.
A medical team at the GPH was ready and was on standby to operate, but the team of doctors at the GPHC and the Balwant Singh Hospital, in consultation with Dr. Crandon, agreed that surgery was not possible and that it was best to have him managed through life support.
Leader of the PNCR Mr. Robert Corbin has since assured that his colleague will be given “due honours”, since he served his party and his country with distinction.
Alliance for Change (AFC) Member Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan noted that Murray’s passing marks a sad day for Guyana.
He said the contribution made by the PNCR member was “par excellence”.
Ramjattan added that Murray was articulate and knowledgeable and his service to the Guyanese people was marked by these attributes.

FORMIDABLE PARLIAMENTARIAN

Murray had, only hours before his collapse, left the National Assembly where he made a presentation during a debate over the Amerindian Act 2006 (Commencement) Bill 2010.
In his parliamentary presentations, Murray championed the cause of accountability and transparency and premised many of his arguments on the fact that legislation passed in the National Assembly should solve problems, not exasperate the situation – all in an effort to improve the lives of the Guyanese people.

Murray was a parliamentarian since 1985 and continued making contributions to the National Assembly on the opposition benches in 1992, where his presentations centered on Economics, but was not limited to that.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, said Murray’s contribution to the National Assembly “elevated” the debates on the issues he addresses.
“Since I became Speaker in 2001, I can say that his contribution to the National Assembly has been of high quality…he was thoroughly prepared and on the ball with the subjects and issues he addressed. The lucidity of his presentations made him a formidable parliamentarian,” Ramkarran said.
The Speaker pointed out that Murray served on several Select Committees in the National Assembly, as well as the Public Accounts Committee and the Parliamentary Management Committee.
“He was able to advance the work of the National Assembly with positive inputs,” Ramkarran said.
He noted that Murray has had a long and distinguished career in the public service, where  he contributed in several capacities.
Ramkarran added that after Murray entered politics, he served with distinction.

According to Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Murray, with whom he shared a good relationship, was a “fierce debater” whose high degree of professionalism earned him much respect.
“He was a man to be admired. In Parliament he did not need to make up stories, rather his presentations and objections were based on sound logic…he made significant contributions in the Select Committees we worked on together, which were useful to the bills we were discussing,” he said.
Ramsammy added that the National Assembly has lost a “constructive and extremely useful” member, who will be hard to replace.
The Health Minister said, “Regardless of which side of the House he was on, Mr. Murray made Parliament better…we have lost a professional who contributed a lot.”
Agriculture Minister Mr. Robert Persaud said, “Mr. Murray walked the walk for a better Guyana and her people.”
He noted that Murray was a distinguished servant of the Guyanese people and was one of the few on the current opposition benches that understood the complexities of managing State affairs.
“Such a quality certainly aided his rich, thorough and intense presentations in the National Assembly…while we did not agree on every issue raised, it was not possible to dismiss his contribution to Parliamentary debates,” Persaud said.
He added that Murray lived the Guyanese dream of being a humble, rural, working class son that was able to work hard, even studying law in his 50s, to serve in important positions in our country.
“We are sad that Mr. Murray’s desire for greater political unity was not fully realised during his lifetime. A great tribute those of us in the political arena can pay to him is to pursue the unavoidable national development goal of greater political unity in the interest of all our peoples,” the Agriculture Minister said.

A STATESMAN’S CONTRIBUTION

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Mr. Donald Ramotar, described the Statesman’s contribution as one that left its mark on Guyana.
“He was a very professional individual. We sat on opposite sides of Parliament and we disagreed on many issues, but we maintained a good personal relationship…he left his mark here,” he said.
Ramotar noted that Murray was a “tough negotiator” who made a tremendous contribution to the public service and the National Assembly.
“He was one of our better parliamentarians,” the PPP/C General Secretary said, “We are all a bit poorer with his passing.”
Murray studied in the Caribbean as a lawyer and was trained in London as an economist. He also attended the London School of Economics and graduated with Honours. Further,he  attended the Institute of International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, where he obtained a Certificate in Public Finance, in 1975; he also attended the University of Guyana where he graduated with Credit in LLB in 1996, and moved on to the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago where he obtained his Legal Education Certificate in 2000.
Up to the time of his illness, the consensus among his supporters was that he had a good shot at being leader of Guyana’s main opposition party.
Within the PNCR Murray’s held the portfolio of shadow Finance and Economic Development.
He had served as a senior minister and deputy prime minister in the PNC administration between 1985 and 1992.
The Statesman also served as Head of the Presidential Secretariat in 1985, Head of the Department of International Economic Cooperation from 1983-1984, and as Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Trade from 1983-1984.
Murray also had a stint in the Diplomatic Service at the Guyana Embassy in Brussels and was elected Chairman of the Party at the Special Congress in February 2003, after the death of former President and Leader of the PNCR, Desmond Hoyte.
In January of last year, following differences with the party on their position on the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, Murray resigned as party Chairman and subsequently challenged Corbin for the leadership of the party.
Within the PNCR, Murray was up against PNCR Vice Chairman, Basil Williams; Retired Brigadier, David Granger and former minister, Dr Faith Harding for the presidential candidacy.
Murray was born on the Essequibo Island of Leguan and it was there that he announced his bid to be the PNCR’s presidential candidate.
Murray leaves to mourn his wife, children, grandchildren and many other relatives, friends and colleagues, and many who wished him well.