A parliamentarian since 1985, Winston Murray will be contesting the PNC presidential candidacy, joining the race with retired Brigadier David Granger and PNC Vice Chairman Basil Williams. Based on reports Murray is the most suitable candidate to lead the party to an election that is expected to be quite interesting, the outcome which is touted to be full of surprises. Winston Murray has a long illustrious career in politics and served in many key Government positions including performing the functions as President twice when the Pnc was in power.
Murray attended the London School of Economics, London University BSC (Hons) Econs in 1970; he also 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 obtained with Credit his LLB in 1996 thence to the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago where he obtained his Legal Education Certificate in 2000.
From 1970 to 1972 he served as an economist in the Ministry of Trade. The following two years he held the position of Second Secretary, Guyana Embassy, Brussels, Belgium.
Between the years 1974 and 1979 Murray was a Senior Economist/Deputy Secretary to the Treasury in the Ministry of Finance. Murray was also the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry between the years 1979 and 1983.
Murray has over the years had many accomplishments as a negotiator including: Barter deal exchanging bauxite for TU 154 aircraft with USSR, Agreements with Japan for electricity generating facilities on the West Bank of Demerara and Garden of Eden, Acquisition of Universal tractors from Romania, Investment Promotion and Protection Treaty with Korea, Double taxation agreement with Canada.
He also served as Guyana’s principal spokesman and negotiator on CARICOM affairs, negotiated the Common External Tariff for such critical items as rice, sugar, wood and wood products as well as handled the harmonisation of fiscal incentives and industrial planning within CARICOM.
In the Trade Ministry, Murray was responsible for devising and overseeing a system for determining the foreign exchange requirements for importers, on the basis of which import licences were granted.He also served as liaison officer for trade and economic missions to Guyana.
