David A. Granger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David A. Granger
Granger in 2015
9th President of Guyana
In office 16 May 2015 – 2 August 2020
Vice President	Carl Barrington Greenidge Khemraj Ramjattan Sydney Allicock
Prime Minister (also First Vice President)	Moses Nagamootoo
Preceded by	Donald Ramotar
Succeeded by	Irfaan Ali
Leader of the Opposition of Guyana
In office July 2012 – 16 May 2015
Preceded by	Robert Corbin
Succeeded by	Bharrat Jagdeo
Personal details
Born	David Arthur Granger (1945-07-15) 15 July 1945 (age 79) Georgetown, British Guiana
Political party	People's National Congress
Other political affiliations	A Partnership for National Unity
Spouse	Sandra Chan-A-Sue ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	2
Military service
Allegiance	Guyana
Years of service	1967–1992
Rank	Brigadier

David Arthur Granger (born 15 July 1945) is a Guyanese former politician. He was also a retired military officer. Granger served as the ninth President of Guyana from 2015 to 2020. He is a member of the People’s National Congress (PNC) political party. Before becoming president, he was the Commander of the Guyana Defence Force. He also worked as a National Security Adviser from 1990 to 1992. From 2012 to 2015, he was the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Guyana.

Granger ran for president in the November 2011 election but did not win. He was then elected as President in the May 2015 election. His government faced a vote of no confidence on 21 December 2018. This led to a special election in 2020.

Early Life and Education

David Arthur Granger was born in Georgetown. He went to Queen's College. This is one of Guyana's most famous schools. Other important leaders like Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan also attended this school.

After Queen's College, Granger joined the Guyana Defence Force in 1965. He became an officer in 1966. He received special military training in different countries. He studied in Nigeria, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

Military Career

Granger became the commander of the Guyana Defence Force in 1979. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier. In 1990, he became the National Security Adviser to the President. He retired from the military in 1992.

As a military leader, Granger was part of several important groups. He led the Central Intelligence Committee. He also helped lead the Border and National Security Committee. He was a member of the Guyana Defence Board.

Political Career

After leaving the military, Granger started the Guyana Review news magazine in 1992. He was its Managing Editor. He also wrote many articles and books. These books were about military history and media.

In 2010, Granger decided to run for president. He became the presidential candidate for the People's National Congress–Reform party. He ran in the November 2011 election. He was defeated by Donald Ramotar.

Even though he lost the election, Granger was chosen as the Leader of the Opposition. This happened on 16 January 2012.

Granger ran for president again in the 11 May 2015 election. This time, he was the candidate for a group of parties called APNU – AFC. This group won the most votes. Granger was sworn in as President of Guyana on 16 May 2015.

2020 Elections and Transition

On 21 December 2018, Granger's government lost a vote of no confidence. This meant a new election had to be held. The election took place on 2 March 2020. Many international groups watched the elections. These included the Organisation of American States and the European Union.

After the election, there were discussions about the results. A national recount of the votes was done. This recount showed that the opposing party, the People's Progressive Party, had won. Their candidate, Irfaan Ali, became the new president.

Author and Historian

Granger has written many books and essays. His writings often focus on national defense and public safety. Some of his books include National Defence: A Brief History of the Guyana Defence Force, 1965 – 2005. He also wrote Public Security: Criminal Violence and Policing in Guyana.

He has also written about historical events. These include Five Thousand Day War: The Struggle for Haiti's Independence, 1789–1804. He also wrote about different groups in Guyana's history. He was also the publisher of Guyana Review magazine.

Awards and Recognition

David Granger with President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff in 2015.

David Granger has received many awards for his studies. He earned the President's Medal for being the best graduating student. He also received the Dennis Irvine Prize for his contributions to university life.

He has also received national awards for his military service. These include the Military Efficiency Medal (1976). He also received the Military Service Medal (1981) and the Military Service Star (1985). These awards are for excellent service in the military.

Personal Life

David Granger is married to Sandra Granger (whose maiden name was Chan-A-Sue). They were married in 1970. They have two daughters named Han and Afuwa.

In November 2018, it was announced that Granger had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

See also

In Spanish: David Granger para niños