Sandra Granger

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.

Sandra Granger
First Lady of Guyana
In role
16 May 2015 – 2 August 2020
PresidentDavid A. Granger
Preceded byDeolatchmee Ramotar
Succeeded byArya Ali
Personal details
Born
Sandra Marie Chan-A-Sue

c. 1947 (age 73–74)
Bourda, Georgetown, British Guiana
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1970)​
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Guyana
University of Pittsburgh
OccupationAcademic, civil servant

Early life

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

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

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
  1. First Lady or not, I am always the wife of a soldier –Sandra Granger, Kaieteur News, 24 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  2. Guyana’s new president takes office, Carib Flame, 18 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  3. David Granger promises hope, revival and purposeful leadership, Kaieteur News, 10 April 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  4. Our Patron, The Guyana Foundation. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  5. Sandra Granger: Guyana’s First Lady, integrationist, Caribbean Community, 3 July 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  6. ‘Women can do it’, Guyana Chronicle, 8 March 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  7. First Lady to focus on senior citizens, helping agencies to fight TIP, rape, iNews Guyana, 21 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  8. First Lady, Stabroek News, 19 August 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
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