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President Granger presents bus to “Mines” children.
The transportation woes of close to 200 children from the Maria Elizabeth, Three Friends Mines, Coomacka , Old England and Nottinghamshire, (areas commonly referred to as ‘the mines’), is expected to be a thing of the past, thanks to the intervention of President David Grainger.
Yesterday, the President accompanied by Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, travelled to Linden, where a brand new school bus was presented to the Regional Democratic Council, to be utilized by the children of the aforementioned communities. It was the tenth bus to be given out under the three Bs programme (Buses, Boats and Bicycles).
The handing over ceremony was witnessed by several residents, their children, teachers and Regional officials.
The President expressed his happiness to be handing over the bus, and spoke of his commitment to the five Bs Programme (Buses, Boats, Bicycles, Books and Breakfast,). The programme, he said, is to ensure that children get to school and stay in school.
He spoke of the financial hardships that families face, with some in other communities having to spend thousands of dollars so that their children could attend school.
There are some families that simply cannot afford the cost of sending their children to school, so the children dropout, the President noted.
The three Bs programme was established after the President was made aware of these situations during visits to the affected communities.
He posited that with the requisite transportation available, the children of these communities would be afforded equal access to education, as those children living in other parts of Guyana.
“We are preparing to hand over this country year by year to the next generation, and the only way we can do that comfortably is to ensure that the next generation is prepared to take control of this native land of ours. We have to make sure that the next generation is not a generation of dropouts.
“We have to ensure that every child has a place in school, because Education is the best preparation to run this nation. “
The President said that apart from ensuring that young people get a good education his Government was reducing inequality.
“Poor education creates poverty and poverty creates inequality. You need to get a good education if you are to get good employment.”
Regional Education Officer, Marcia Paddy- Andrews, said that the bus will be of great assistance to the children of these communities.
She said that the boat, David G 2 that was presented by the President earlier in the year, had started out by transporting 22 children from the riverain communities to and from school. That number has now risen to 45.
Amna Ally recalled how on the President’s last birthday he spoke of not wanting to be showered with gifts, gold and so on. He wanted buses, bicycles and boats so that he could give the children a good life.
Region Ten alone has been the recipient of three boats and one bus, Ally said.
She stressed that the bus is solely for school children and not to be used for any other purpose.
It was a gift from Mr. Suresh Jagmohan
Chairman of the Coomacka RDC, Dexter Harding, called the donation of the bus a timely intervention by the President.He said that the community is very grateful. He however stressed the need for a proper road.
“This bus don’t have wings, so we definitely would have to get a proper road. If we don’t, it wouldn’t last very long because the current access road is in a deplorable state.
“I wish the President was brought through that road so that he could see and experience the state of it. He should not have been taken through the back road, because we cannot use that road. It belongs to Bosai. “
Those sentiments were echoed by several residents who are requesting a meeting with the President, to discuss the state of the road.
It was the view of many residents, that the road was responsible for destroying a lot of the minibuses that ply the mines route.
Even the children had their say. Sion Adams, a student of the Mackenzie High School said that she is often late for school because only a few buses ply the route, because of the road.
Ashanti Richmond, a young resident of Old England who says that she is integrally involved in helping to boost tourism in the community, said that the appalling road is a “serious deterrent” to potential tourists. (Enid Joaquin)
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