The race for the presidential nominee of the main opposition People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) has intensified with former party chairman Winston Murray announcing his candidacy. He made the announcement on the island of Leguan, his hometown.Former army commander Brigadier (retired) David Grainger, and current PNCR Parliamentarian Basil Williams have already signaled their readiness to run for the post.Winston MurrayMurray had recently sought the leadership of the party from Robert Corbin,Supply NHL Gear Store, but that effort failed.According to a press release from Murray’s camp, the announcement of his intention to run for president under the PNCR was on a visit to Leguan on October 3.He said that many members of the PNCR, including many senior members, members of civil society and the business community are supporting him as the PNCR’s Presidential candidate.According to the statement, “the majority of the residents, some of whom knew Mr. Murray growing up on the island, many of whom he taught, and many who remembered him as a talented cricketer who represented the island as a very good opening batsman declared their support for him occupying the highest office in the land.”Murray was accompanied by Parliamentarians Mervyn Williams and Aubrey Norton, Eugene Gilbert, Dr Richard Van West Charles, Priest Mwanza, Ms Gillian Burton, PNCR Central Executive Member, Mr. Mark Walkes and Mr. Ronald Austin.According to the press release, the delegation, led by Murray, did a programmed walkabout of the island lasting for more than five hours, punctuated by his address to the residents at Phoenix, Henrietta.Murray’s team said that many residents claimed and were able to prove that the poor and ill-maintained sea defences led to flooding and loss of livestock and consequently income.Murray and his team have been visiting many communities and meeting with members of PNCR groups over the last year in many of the regions. They have made visits to Regions Three, Six, Nine, and Ten.Various villages in Region Four have also been visited. The team also visited a number of elderly persons and presented hampers to them.Murray served as a pupil teacher on the island of Leguan before entering the Teachers’ Training College. He later studied at the London School of Economics.After studies in economics he returned to Guyana and entered the government service and rose to the eminent position of Deputy Prime Minister under President Desmond Hoyte.Murray is confident that his vast experience in the Public service and his yeoman service to the Party-more than thirty years- more than qualified him to be the Presidential candidate of the PNCR. His service to the Party included being Chairman and the PNCR spokesman on finance and economics.
