Sandra Granger
Sandra Granger | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Granger in 2016 | |
| First Lady of Guyana | |
| In role 16 May 2015 – 2 August 2020 | |
| President | David A. Granger |
| Preceded by | Deolatchmee Ramotar |
| Succeeded by | Arya Ali |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sandra Marie Chan-A-Sue c. 1947 (age 76–77) Bourda, Georgetown, British Guiana |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Guyana University of Pittsburgh |
| Occupation | Academic, civil servant |
Sandra Marie Granger (née Chan-A-Sue; born c. 1947) is a retired Guyanese academic and civil servant who was the First Lady of Guyana, as the wife of President David A. Granger.
Early life
[edit]Granger was born in the Bourda neighbourhood of Georgetown, British Guiana.[1] Her father, born in Suriname, was of Chinese descent, while her mother was from the North-West District and of Amerindian ancestry.[2] She attended Sacred Heart Primary School and St. Joseph High School.[1] She married David A. Granger in 1970, and they subsequently had two daughters, Han and Afuwa.[3]
Career
[edit]Granger left the workforce after the birth of her second child, having worked for periods as a travel agent and later as a scriptwriter and traffic manager for Radio Demerara. Once her children were older, she began studying at the University of Guyana.[1] She received two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in English literature and one in Portuguese, and then attended the University of Pittsburgh on a Fulbright Scholarship, where she graduated with an M.A. in Brazilian literature and a graduate certificate in Latin American studies. After returning to her homeland, Granger spent several years as a lecturer in the University of Guyana's Department of Modern Languages, and served as assistant dean of the Faculty of Arts.[4] In 1989 she began working as a rapporteur for the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community, where one of her first tasks was to report on the public reaction to the Grand Anse Declaration.[5] She eventually became executive management officer in the Office of the Secretary-General, retiring in 2008.[4]
First Lady
[edit]Granger's husband, a former chief of the Guyana Defence Force, was sworn in as president in May 2015.[3] As First Lady, her areas of interest have included women's rights, the prevention of sexual violence, and the welfare of children and the elderly.[6][7] The Stabroek News has described as her a "modern, activist First Lady with an official office, a public policy agenda that is complementary to the government, regular speaking engagements, and a strong social media presence".[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c First Lady or not, I am always the wife of a soldier –Sandra Granger, Kaieteur News, 24 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ Guyana’s new president takes office, Carib Flame, 18 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ a b David Granger promises hope, revival and purposeful leadership, Kaieteur News, 10 April 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ a b Our Patron, The Guyana Foundation. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ Sandra Granger: Guyana’s First Lady, integrationist, Caribbean Community, 3 July 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ ‘Women can do it’, Guyana Chronicle, 8 March 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ First Lady to focus on senior citizens, helping agencies to fight TIP, rape, iNews Guyana, 21 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ First Lady, Stabroek News, 19 August 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2017.