Former army chief Brigadier (retired) David Granger was last evening declared the PNCR’s presidential candidate at a Special Congress in a process bereft of the problems which have dogged previous internal party elections.
He secured 279 of the 666 votes cast with former Caricom economist Carl Greenidge amassing 264. Party Vice-Chairman Basil Williams was a distant third with 88 votes while Dr Faith Harding and newcomer attorney James Bond managed 20 and 13 votes respectively. There were two spoilt ballots while the Returning Officer Earl John of Sandra Jones and Associates said another was “somewhat controversial” and was not counted.
However, the night was not without suspense with several recounts which were done at the behest of the Greenidge camp. Chants of Granger erupted from the veteran soldier’s green-shirted supporters at the end when the official tally was given.