Former President David Granger responds to article in Guyana Standard

Jul 03, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

The Office of the former President has taken note of an article published in the Guyana Standard on 26 June, 2025, under the caption: “If Granger means well, he must do for Norton what Jagdeo did for Ali.” The article made several erroneous and malicious statements against the former President, claiming that: “His regime came across as an incompetent, arrogant, over-promising, under-delivering cabal …”.

The office of the former President wishes to reaffirm that the APNU+AFC coalition entered office in 2015 and aimed at repairing the damage caused by a decade of criminal violence known as ‘The Troubles’, restoring local democracy and reassuring citizens that the government was committed to raising their standard of living and safeguarding Guyana’s territorial integrity.

President Granger responded to low attendance and poor performance in primary schools by introducing the Public Education Transportation Service (PETS) − the first such service in this country’s history − which delivered free transportation by providing bicycles, boats and buses.

President Granger’s restoration of local government elections (LGE) ten months after the APNU+AFC entered office in May 2015 reversed the PPP’s refusal to hold LGE for 20 years. Granger’s administration created four capital towns − at Bartica, Mabaruma, Mahdia and Lethem − with elected town councils to administer the hinterland and to replace the PPP’s undemocratic IMCs.

President Granger’s prompt and positive response to the COVID-19 epidemic resulted in the enforcement of effective measures and the establishment of the ‘Infectious Disease Hospital’ − the first of such in this country’s history.

President Granger’s response to the murderous ‘Troubles’, maritime piracy and narco-trafficking which prevailed under the PPPC administration resulted in an agreement with the UK Government to restore the Security Sector Reform Action Plan. President Granger established the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA) and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) to suppress transnational narco-trafficking. However, the PPP administration abolished NANA and NISA.

The APNU+AFC administration inherited a decimated and demoralised Public Service from the PPPC administration. Granger’s response was to establish the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service (BCCPS) − the first such in this country’s history. The APNU+AFC Coalition measurably increased the State Old Age Pension (SOAP) and public sector salaries and wages.

The PPP’s unbroken, 23-year administration divided the country. Granger’s response to the social crisis was to mainstream social cohesion in government policies and initiate programmes − such as the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme − and establish the Amna Ally Children & Family Care Centre (CFCC) in Sophia. President Granger purposefully established the Guyana Youth Corps aimed at providing young people who were not in education employment or training (i.e NEET) with skills for self-employment.

Granger emphasised the importance of protecting the environment by promulgating the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) and establishing the Department of the Environment and the Corps of Wardens to inspect mines for safety in order to protect miners’ lives.

APNU+AFC governmental expenditure reached only G$934 billion but was curtailed by the ‘No-Confidence Motion’ passed with the support of an AFC parliamentarian in the National Assembly in 2018. Thereafter, the Coalition was prevented from utilising funds from the petroleum industry or accessing funds from donor countries. The current PPPC administration has had access to petroleum revenues and, so far, expended G$4.58 trillion. Indeed, the Coalition faced severe challenges but it was far from being an “incompetent, arrogant, over-promising, under-delivering cabal.”

Regards

Office of the former President,

David Granger

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APNU+AFC, arrogant, Guyana Standard, incompetent, no confidence motion, public service

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