Brigadier (rtd) David Arthur Granger, has been duly elected and sworn in as the 8th Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Granger was administered the Oath of Office earlier today by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh, in the presence of thousands at the Public Buildings. Head of State, Granger has since pledged to work together with the ousted Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and its leader former President Donald Ramotar, towards building a brighter future and achieve the promise of a “good life for all.”

Lieutenant Colonel (rtd) Joseph Harmon, has been appointed temporarily as the Head of the Presidential Secretariat and will head the transition team in putting in place a new government.

Mr Donald Ramotar, minutes after the declaration of the final results of the 2015 General and Regional elections by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Mr Keith Lowenfield, and the announcement from GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, that Brigadier (rtd) David Granger is the new Guyanese leader, addressed the nation.

Below is the full text of his address:

My fellow Guyanese, the results of the 2015 general and regional elections have been declared by the Guyana elections commission. Unfortunately these results have been shrouded in controversy.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the members and supporters of the people’s progressive party/civic for your unwavering commitment and support and for the confidence which you reposed in us.

I want to acknowledge all the hard work and sacrifices made by you in the campaign, particularly those supporters who toiled, sometimes unnoticed, to keep our machinery going. While we are disappointed, hurt and aggrieved, i urge you to remain calm in the face of widespread provocation associated with triumphalism. We should be proud of our unstinting commitment and ceaseless efforts to preserve our country’s democracy.

We should also be justifiably proud of our record of success in restoring our economy and dramatically transforming our country over these difficult years of struggle.

Let us not be daunted but redouble our efforts to keep our party strong and resilient. As we look to the future we will stand with our people to continue the struggle for freedom and democracy as we did decades before.

As you are aware, the people’s progressive party/civic had requested the commission to conduct a recount of the ballots cast in view of the several irregularities and discrepancies found during and after the day of the elections.

We believe that the electoral processes were severely compromised. That is why we requested a recount of the ballots.

Regrettably, our repeated requests were denied by GECOM.

The right to universal adult suffrage and its exercise of “one person, one vote” which the ppp won for the Guyanese people in 1953 is again under threat.

GECOM by its constitutional mandate and the observer missions have made their pronouncements on the elections without taking into account the real concerns that have been brought to their attention by our party.

My party remains convinced that a recount would have proven beyond any shadow of doubt that the electoral processes had been compromised and the PPP/C would have won.

We have agreed to pursue options for redress under the constitution and the law including an elections petition.

Once again we are being removed from office, not through the will of our people, but by electoral manipulations.

Yet we will remain steadfast in our commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy.

My fellow Guyanese, it has been my humble honour to serve you as president of our dear land over these past three years. I have upheld my sworn duty to carry out my mandate without fear or favour.

My party is proud of our record in nurturing and building a free and democratic country.

Clearly these elections demonstrate that the freedom we have can still be compromised but we have always acted in the interests of all of our people.

We will continue to do so and will remain steadfast in our commitment to serve all Guyanese and to work for the unity, stability and progress of our country.

I am urging the new president

and the APNU+AFC leadership

to take urgent responsibility

for the preservation of peace,

the respect for all our citizens

regardless of race,

colour or creed and the

protection of all Guyanese

irrespective of political affiliation.

As we enter into a new phase of our country’s political life, the PPP/C will continue to strive for a strong democracy, a cohesive society and a better Guyana. May god continue to bless the republic of Guyana. The struggle continues!