Ex-army general expected to become Guyana's new president
Ex-army general expected to become Guyana's new president
By BERT WILKINSON, Associated Press | May 14, 2015 | Updated: May 14, 2015 3:31pm
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — A retired army general is poised to become Guyana's new president after a multi-ethnic opposition coalition defeated a party that has been in power for nearly 25 years, officials said Thursday.
Preliminary results show David Arthur Granger and his Partnership for National Unity-Alliance for Change Coalition got nearly 207,000 votes in Monday's general elections. The long-governing People's Progressive Party had almost 201,500 votes, chief elections officer Keith Lowenfield said.
The coalition is expected to have a three- or four-seat majority in the 65-member Parliament of the South American country. It previously held a one-seat majority and often clashed with the current president, Donald Ramotar, who forced early elections after suspending and dissolving Parliament to avoid a no-confidence vote.
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Ramotar's party has been in power since 1992 and was seeking a sixth consecutive term while facing accusations of corruption and mismanagement. It has long received support mostly from Guyanese of Indian descent.
Officials said the 69-year-old Granger could be sworn in late Thursday or early Friday, becoming Guyana's eighth government leader since the country gained independence from Britain in 1966. He has promised to end racial politics that have long defined Guyana, a country of nearly 746,000 people who are mainly of Indian and African descent.
More:
http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Ex-Army-general-expected-to-become-Guyana-s-new-6263856.php
