Daraine Luton and Mark Beckford, Staff Reporters

HE WAS one of the most punctual and regular attendees in the Senate, yet he was one of the most silent.

Parliament's records show that Ian Murray has never been late for a sitting of the Upper House and has only been absent three times in 15 sittings. Despite his regular attendance, he opened his mouth only once, his contribution lasting a mere one minute.

Murray was last week axed from the Senate by Prime Minister Bruce Golding in a move to install a new minister of national security. With Colonel Trevor MacMillan chosen to replace Derrick Smith in the job, the prime minister had to create a vacancy in the senate for MacMillan. A Cabinet minister must be a legislator.

not a difficult decision

Murray, who has been a govern-ment senator since September 27, 2007, until his resignation last week, says he is not disappointed that he has been sacrificed.

"It was not a difficult decision, as we all want this crime situation to be improved and solved. On that basis, I agreed to the move," he tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Asked why he was was chosen to be the sacrificial lamb, Murray replied: "I don't know all the reasons why it was me, but certainly, when you are asked, when it is you, you know it is the right thing to do."

Murray, whose father, Neville, was a member of parliament for Central St Mary from 1983-1989, describes his time in the Senate as memorable and interesting.

"I must confess that it was not long, but it was very interesting," he says. "I had not done any work prior to that for the Senate, so it was a learning experience each time you go. It was very interesting with the bills and motions that were debated. I think it is something that slowly, I was getting a hang of."

The 41-year-old has been a member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) since 2000. He was vice-president of the professional youth arm, Generation 2000 (G2K), from 2002-2005. It is the latter on which Murray, a former Campion College student, intends to focus his attentions in the medium term.

"My plans are working along with Generation 2000 and the young people," he discloses. "It's a bit early to say whether I will go into representational politics, but if it is on the cards, it is on the cards."

attendance record

Murray's attendance record in the Upper House betters that of fellow government senator, Dr Ronald Robinson, the minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Robinson has missed five sittings.

Senator Warren Newby, who is the parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Information, Youth and Sports, has missed three sittings. Likewise, Tom Tavares-Finson, who is the JLP's representative on the Electoral Advisory Commission.

Don Wehby, the minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, has also missed three sittings of the Senate.