Murray makes Senate comeback
Published:Friday | June 18, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
TWO YEARS after he left the Senate to make way for Colonel Trevor MacMillan, Ian Murray is set to return to the Upper House today.
Jamaica House yesterday announ-ced that Murray was selected by Prime Minister Bruce Golding to fill the vacancy created by the resig-nation of Dr Ronald Robinson.
Murray, a former member of the Jamaica Labour Party's young professionals group, Generation 2000 (G2K), and JLP deputy general secretary, was appointed to the Senate in September 2007 by Golding.
But less than one year later, he resigned, as Golding selected MacMillan for the job of security minister.
"When I re-signed, it was in keeping with the prime minister's anti-crime agenda, and like all well-thinking Jamaicans, I wanted to do my part in the fight against crime," Murray told The Gleaner yesterday.
"When I was asked to return, I accepted because I think it is an honour to serve my country," he added.
New outlook
According to Murray, he intends to bring a fresh perspective to the discussions in the Senate.
"We have a number of important issues coming up in the Senate and I will carry my experience and academic background to contribute to these debates," said Murray, who is scheduled to be sworn in today.
The government benches of the Senate have seen a number of changes since the JLP's election victory in 2007.
Murray was the first government senator to go and was replaced by MacMillan. But the former army man lasted less than a year before he lost the national security job and quit the Senate.
MacMillan was replaced by former Resident Magistrate Marlene Malahoo Forte.
Don Wehby was the next government senator to quit as he returned to the private sector after a two-year stint. He was replaced by attorney-at-law and business executive Kamina Johnson.
Last month, Robinson joined the list of former senators when he quit, citing his role in the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair and concerns about the health of his wife.