“I shall be a good President for all the people of Guyana”; Granger sworn in as President

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President David Granger and Prime Minister-elect Moses Nagamootoo. [iNews' Photo]

By Jomo Paul

President David Granger taking the oath of office. [iNews' Photo]
President David Granger taking the oath of office. [iNews’ Photo]
[www.inewsguyana.com] – In a moment of history where thousands of persons flocked the streets of Georgetown, some in tears and some with the brightest smiles on their faces, retired Brigadier of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) David Arthur Granger was sworn in as Guyana’s eight Executive President by Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh.

For many, Granger’s swearing in signaled the dawn of a new era as it is the first time in 23 years that Guyana will see a change from a People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration.

A number of diplomats, international observers and members of the private sector attended the swearing in ceremony. The only member of the PPP/C present was former Minister of Labour, Dr Nanda Gopaul.

President David Granger and Prime Minister-elect Moses Nagamootoo. [iNews' Photo]
President David Granger and Prime Minister-elect Moses Nagamootoo. [iNews’ Photo]
President Granger in his inauguration speech said that with the election of a new President, Guyanese have “fortified” their right to democracy.

“I shall be a good President for all the people of Guyana,” said the President to screams from thousands of persons.

The new President also extended a hand of friendship to Former President Donald Ramotar and other members of the PPP/C for inclusionary democracy.

“Inclusionary democracy is the best way to overcome our divisions,” said the retired Brigadier.

As his first act as President, Granger has appointed Joseph Harmon to act in the capacity of Head of the Presidential Secretariat – a post commandeered by Roger Luncheon for the past 23 years.

A section of the thousands of persons outside Parliament Building. [iNews' Photo]
A section of the thousands of persons outside Parliament Building. [iNews’ Photo]
It was also pointed that the PPP/C and the new APNU+AFC government has agreed to formulate a transition team what will see the smooth transference of government.

Granger attended Queen’s College, where he was a member of the Queen’s College Cadet Corps. He then joined the GDF as an officer cadet in 1965 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1966. He received his professional military training at the Army Command and Staff College in Nigeria; the Jungle Warfare Instruction Centre in Brazil; and the School of Infantry and the Mons Officer Cadet School, respectively, in the United Kingdom.

Granger – a University of Guyana Valedictorian – founded the Guyana Review news magazine in 1992, and served as its Managing Editor. He has researched and published on military, historical and media themes, and is also the author of Guyana’s state media: the quest for control, and A Preliminary Study of Women Soldiers in the Anglophone Caribbean.

A section of the thousands of persons outside Parliament Building. [iNews' Photo]
A section of the thousands of persons outside Parliament Building. [iNews’ Photo]
Sixty-nine-year-old Granger was the Presidential Candidate of the APNU+AFC – a coalition of six of Guyana’s major political players – the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), National Front Alliance, the Guyana Action Party, Justice For All Party and the Alliance For Change (AFC).

Accompanied by Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo, Granger led a campaign that called for national unity with the hopes of bridging Guyana’s racial divide in this his second Presidential bid.

Another fundamental tenet of the APNU+AFC’s “It Is Time” campaign was the call to end corruption and end race-based voting which has characterized elections in Guyana, since the Country gained independence from Britain in 1966.

He was unsuccessful in 2011 after losing the elections to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’ (PPP/C) – Donald Ramotar.

APNU+AFC won the 2015 election after it managed to acquire 207, 200 votes while the PPP/C acquired 202,694 votes – a clear indication that the majority of Guyanese wanted change.

Out of Guyana’s past seven Executive Presidents, the PPP/C bred five – Dr Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Sam Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.

The APNU+AFC victory at the Monday May 11 General and Regional Elections ended the 23 year reign of the PPP/C – which is by and large a Party that has mainly indo-Guyanese supporters.

For many this is the first time that they will be able to experience a different administration and there are hopes that the change will yield good results.

The coalition has produced a 100 day plan that entails the review of taxes, increase of salaries and old age pension, an anti-corruption fight, liberalization of the Telecommunication and ICT sectors, several task forces on crime and security, and benefits for Guyana’s small miners.

 

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16 COMMENTS

  3. Well said………I will add that Guyana`s priority now should be : Law & Order, Health & welfare, Education, Corruption, Drainage & Irrigation, and Infrastructure development.

  4. Congratulations to my new president.The hard work has now began.All the best to you and the new government.

  6. Congratulations President Granger! May God give you the guidance to bring all that is great out of the people of our dear land – Guyana!

  7. I believe this election reflect the position of the nation and it was free and fair thanks to our former government for all they done for our nation time to move to the next level.

  9. As I congratulate our new president and share in the adulation for the coalition, I reiterated my earlier thoughts at this juncture of Guyana politics.

    Will we continue to follow the circular path of the misguided or chart a path that is truly independent from our predecessors who were out to serve themselves? Yes, our country was once a coalition that morphed into the one race party of the PNC that misruled with crime, cronyism and corruption that led to the underdevelopment of our country and mass migration. The PNC abuse of power was succeeded by Jagan’s PPP, but Jagan’s PPP also morphed into a party, fraught with cronyism and corruption, that gifted our country to foreign companies that mocked our country as an independent nation.

    Mr. President, I have hope and trust that you will keep the past in your mind’s eyes as you work to build a Guyana for the sake of all those who have bled and sacrificed for their country over the years and to make everyone remember this day as a change for justice and dignity for a people bereft of these rights since our forefathers came to our shores. It is time that we show we are a people who have the will and temperment to govern ourselves without compromising our integrity as a just nation and be that light for ourselves and the world.

  11. Finally the people of Guyana have found the courage to take back their country from those who acted as if they had owned it. Treating them with utter disregard and disrespect. May all Guyanese continue to tirelessly work towards national unity and the development of our country. God bless Guyana.

  13. I BELIEVE IN GOD, AND TODAY IS DAY OF JOY AND CELEBRATIONS, MAY GOD. SMILE ON YOU AND GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY
    AND TO FIGHT THE EVIL IN THE LAND, AND SUBDUE ALL THAT RISE UP AGAINST OUR PEOPLE AND COUNTRY,MAY GRACE ALWAYS BE WITH US,
    AMEN

  14. Overwhelmed with happiness and joy at the eventual swearing in of Ret Brig-Gen David Granger as the eighth executive President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, and soon to follow, the swearing-in in Parliament the Hon Moses Nagamootoo as the Peoples’ Prime Miinister. To both these Honourable gentlemen who served their country in two distinguished capacities, you are wished good health, wisdom, and fortitude to lead Guyana forward and make ‘your people’ and ‘your country’ proud of you, There are no doubts whatsoever, you will govern wisely, and ensure that peace and harmony are restored in Guyana where people work and retire with pride. It is certain Guyana will now be governed where ALL GUYANESE will benefit – free from fear and discrimination. All this nonsense of the return of bread and fuel lines, crimes of unspeakable proportions and economic decline certainly did not fool the masses; however, there were some who succumbed to the peddled garbage and must be forgiven.
    Guyana is on the road to recovery from corruption, nepotism, discrimination, massive crimes and drug-and-people traffickings – the small man will now have to be heard and recognized; businesses operate without fear and threats, and investors once again attracted to the Guyana – Land of Many Waters – Many Peoples and abundant resources. Best Wishes to the New Head of State, H.E. David Granger Ret’d Brig-Gen), Prime Minister – elect, Hon Moses Nagamootoo and all Parliamentarians – Guyana is on the road to peace, tranquillity, happiness and progress. God Bless!

    Dharamdeo Sawh

  15. congrats, but your first appointment doesn’t speak much for the country. harmon as head of ps. this guy cannot even win a simple court matter. With this I am expecting to hear Grenidge and Felix next.

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