Asume como nuevo presidente de Guyana David A. Granger, anterior líder de la oposición
David Granger was sworn in as President of Guyana on the balcony of Parliament Building at 2.19 pm today in the presence of a large, jubilant crowd.
In his speech he referred to the symbolism behind holding the swearing in ceremony at Parliament.
The oath was administered to him by the acting Chancellor the Judiciary, Carl Singh after the proclamation was read by Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Dr Steve Surujbally.
He lauded candidates who acceded to the 11th Prliament saying that he would never prorogue it. A reference to the controversial proroguing of Parliament last year by former President Donald Ramotar.
He called for all sides to work for unity and to put aside the electoral period. He pledged to be a president for all the people.
Granger said his government will refashion society so that women, old folk and young people can have better lives.
He extended the arm of friendship to Ramotar and the PPP to join with the unity movement.
Granger announced that APNU+AFC and the former government has set up a transition team to pave the way for the change in government and to ensure the stability of the state.
Joseph Harmon has been appointed as the temporary Head of the Presidential Secretariat.
Granger led the gathering in singing lines from the patriotic song ‘Let us cooperate for Guyana’ and invited all Guyanese to the formal inauguration ceremony at the National Stadium on May 26, Independence Day.
Granger also announced that Moses Nagamootoo will be sworn in as Prime Minister when he is formally made a Member of Parliament.
Stabroek News
Líder opositor asume como nuevo presidente de Guyana
El general retirado David Granger asumió hoy como el nuevo presidente de Guyana, tras oficializarse la victoria electoral de su bloque opositor compuesto por la Alianza por el Cambio y Alianza para la Unidad Nacional (APNU+AFC).
Granger tomó juramento del cargo en la sede del Parlamento ante el presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, Carl Singh.
La investidura siguió a la proclamación oficial de su coalición como ganadora de los comicios del pasado día 11, cuando acaparó 207 mil 200 votos y rompió así con 23 años de mandato del Partido Progresista del Pueblo (PPP).
Según la Comisión Electoral (Gecom, por sus siglas en inglés), esa agrupación solo obtuvo el respaldo de 202 mil 694 ciudadanos.
Estos comicios están considerados como los más importantes de Guyana desde 1992, cuando el PPP asumió el poder, pues el componente étnico dominó toda la campaña
David Arthur Granger nació el 15 de julio 1945 en Georgetown, la capital del país, y por primera vez en la historia del país aglutinó a grupos de afroguyaneses, amerindios, mestizos y descendientes de hindúes bajo una misma bandera política.
Su formación incluye estudios en universidades e instituciones civiles y militares de Guyana, Nigeria, Brasil y Reino Unido.
En 1979 asumió como comandante de la Fuerza de Defensa de Guyana, donde alcanzó el grado de brigadier, y fue consejero presidencial de Seguridad Nacional desde 1990 hasta que se retiró en 1992.
Tras trabajar en varios medios de comunicación, entró en la política y se convirtió en el principal candidato opositor que compitió por la presidencia en las elecciones generales de 2011.
Pero en esa ocasión la APNU perdió y el PPP obtuvo su quinta reelección consecutiva.
Para la votación de 2015, Granger unificó a su partido con la AFC y basó la campaña en promesas como mayores oportunidades de educación y salud, un incremento salarial, impuestos más bajos, la lucha contra la corrupción, el narcotráfico y la trata de personas.
También se comprometió a trabajar por la unidad entre todos los sectores y el fin de la rivalidad racial en la vida sociopolítica de Guyana, gobernada históricamente por los indo-descendientes del PPP.
Más de 570 mil ciudadanos fueron habilitados para escoger el 11 de mayo al nuevo Gobierno, a los miembros de la Asamblea Nacional y a los dirigentes de las 10 regiones, como se divide administrativamente Guyana.
Las nuevas autoridades tendrán un mandato de cinco años frente a un país con 740 mil habitantes y considerado el tercero más pobre de América del Sur. Además del PPP y la APNU+AFC en estos comicios compitieron otras seis agrupaciones minoritarias.
“I shall be a good President for all the people of Guyana”; Granger sworn in as President
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 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.
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.
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.