The rebirth of David Granger’s vision

Apr 12, 2026 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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(Kaieteur News) – There is something small-minded and, frankly, wasteful about a government that spends more time tearing down the ideas of its predecessors than building on what actually works.

In Guyana, this habit has become all too familiar.  Instead of treating development as a continuous national effort, we see a troubling pattern where initiatives are judged not by their value to citizens, but by which political party introduced them.

The result? Good ideas are abandoned, public money is wasted, and ordinary people, especially children, pay the price. Take the “3B” initiative of David Granger. Buses, Boats, and Bicycles. Whatever one’s political loyalties, it is hard to deny the basic sense behind it. Many children in Guyana, particularly in rural and riverine communities, face long and difficult journeys to get to school. Transportation is not a luxury in these areas. It is a necessity. The David Granger administration recognized this reality and took steps to address it.

Under that initiative, at least 30 school buses were acquired, largely through donations. This meant taxpayers did not have to bear the burden of purchasing the vehicles. The recurrent costs—fuel and drivers—were managed at the regional level, a modest investment for a service that helped children attend school regularly and safely.

Yet when the government changed in 2020, so did the attitude towards the initiative. Instead of maintaining and expanding the programme, many of these buses were simply abandoned. A practical, beneficial initiative was left to decay. Not because it failed, but because of who started it.

Now, in an almost ironic twist, the same petty PPPC government has had to reintroduce school buses in two regions. This quiet reversal speaks volumes. It is an admission, whether stated or not, that the original idea of David Granger had considerable merit. But why dismantle it in the first place, only to rebuild it later? That is not governance; that is political pettiness at the public’s expense.

Even more frustrating is the missed opportunity. Rather than doling out the Because  We Care cash grant to both rich and poor, multimillionaires and paupers alike, the government could have invested more directly in services like free school transportation. The Because We Care Cash Grant is inequitable. David Granger’s 3Bs initiative was targeted. It targeted those who needed transportation to get to and from school – a major challenge for many families.

In many parts of the country, especially in the countryside, children must travel miles to attend secondary school. Transportation costs and availability can determine whether a child attends regularly or falls behind. Expanding a national school bus programme, possibly managed in part by Parent-Teacher Associations, would have been a more targeted and lasting solution. It would not only improve attendance but also ease the burden on families in a meaningful way. Moreover, a nationwide school transportation system could reduce the number of private vehicles on the road, easing traffic congestion and improving safety. This is not just about education; it is about smarter planning overall.

Instead of expanding Granger’s 3Bs initiative, the PPPC government left most of the buses to be abandoned.

The same pattern of neglect can be seen in the case of the Durban Park Development Project. Whatever criticisms one may have had about its construction, the fact remains that it exists. It is a public asset. Yet instead of maintaining and repurposing it for community benefit, it has largely been left to deteriorate.

The stands at Durban Park, for example, could have been relocated to community grounds across the country—areas that are in desperate need of proper seating for sports and recreational events.

Instead, the facility has been allowed to decay, almost as if neglect itself is a political strategy. Let it fall apart, and then point to it as evidence of past failure. That may score points in partisan debates, but it does nothing for the people who could have benefited from its use. Now there is talk of turning the area into a museum and art gallery. While cultural institutions are important, this proposal raises serious concerns. Durban Park is one of the few remaining green spaces in southern Georgetown, an area with a dense population and limited recreational options. Converting it into a built-up facility would take away a valuable open space that families and communities need.

A more sensible approach would be to preserve Durban Park for recreational use and locate any new museum or gallery in the northern part of the city, where such developments may be more appropriate. Urban planning should prioritize balance—ensuring that cultural, recreational, and environmental needs are all met. At its core, this issue is not about one party versus another. It is about maturity in governance. A country cannot move forward if every new administration feels compelled to erase what came before. Progress is built step by step, not by constantly starting over.

Good ideas should be recognized, refined, and expanded—no matter their origin. When politics gets in the way of practicality, it is the nation that loses. Guyana deserves better than this cycle of discard and rediscovery. It deserves leadership that puts people before pride and progress.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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• APNU, David Granger, Peeping Tom, political loyalties, rebirth

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