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 80) 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 politician and a retired military officer. He served as the ninth President of Guyana from 2015 to 2020. Before becoming president, he was a high-ranking officer in the Guyana Defence Force. He also worked as a National Security Adviser. From 2012 to 2015, he was the Leader of the Opposition of Guyana, meaning he led the main political group that was not in power.

Granger ran for president in the 2011 election but did not win. However, he was elected President in the May 2015 election. His presidency ended after a special vote in December 2018 led to an early election.

Early Life and Military Career

David Arthur Granger was born in Georgetown, Guyana. He attended Queen's College, Guyana, which is a very well-known school in Guyana. Many important people, including former presidents, also went there.

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 like Nigeria, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

In 1979, he became the commander of the Guyana Defence Force and was promoted to Brigadier. He later served as a National Security Adviser to the President from 1990 to 1992. He then retired from the military.

Political Journey

After leaving the military, Granger started the Guyana Review news magazine in 1992. He also wrote many articles and books about military history and media. He even studied journalism in the United States.

In 2010, he decided to run for president as the candidate for the People's National Congress–Reform party. He ran in the 2011 election but lost to Donald Ramotar. However, in 2012, he was chosen to be the Leader of the Opposition of Guyana in the National Assembly.

Granger ran for president again in the 2015 election. This time, he led a group of parties called APNU – AFC. His group won the most votes, and he became President of Guyana on May 16, 2015.

His time as president ended after a "vote of no confidence" on December 21, 2018. This meant that the government lost the support of the majority of lawmakers. This led to an early election in 2020.

2020 Elections

The elections were held on March 2, 2020. Many international groups, like the Organisation of American States and the European Union, watched the elections. There were some disagreements about the results at first.

After a national recount of the votes, it was confirmed that Irfaan Ali, the candidate from the opposing People's Progressive Party, had won.

Education and Studies

Granger went to Queen's College, Guyana. He also took part in several special workshops and courses while he was in the Army. These included studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and the National Defense University (Washington, D.C.) in the United States. He also attended a workshop on fighting terrorism.

Leadership Roles

Besides being the Commander of the Guyana Defence Force, Granger was also a member of several important groups related to defense and security. He led the Central Intelligence Committee and was part of the Border and National Security Committee. He also served on the Guyana Defence Board.

Historian and Author

Granger has a strong interest in history. He was the president of the History Society and the Guyana Heritage Society. He also wrote many books and articles about national defense and public safety.

Some of his books include National Defence: A Brief History of the Guyana Defence Force, 1965 – 2005 and Public Security: Criminal Violence and Policing in Guyana. He also wrote about historical events like Five Thousand Day War: The Struggle for Haiti's Independence, 1789–1804 and The Era of Enslavement, 1638–1838.

Awards and Recognition

David Granger with President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff in 2015.

David Granger has received many awards for his academic achievements from the University of Guyana. These include medals for being a top student and for contributing to the university's cultural life.

He also received three national awards for his excellent service in the military:

• The Military Efficiency Medal (1976)
• The Military Service Medal (1981)
• The Military Service Star (1985)

Personal Life

David Granger is married to Sandra Granger (whose maiden name was Chan-A-Sue). They have two daughters named Han and Afuwa. In November 2018, he was diagnosed with a health condition.

See also

In Spanish: David Granger para niños