What has happened to Granger’s 5B Programme?

With school about to be reopened questions are being asked about the 5B Programme that was implemented during the A Partnership For National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government. The 5B Programme is Bus, Boat, Bicycle, Books and Breakfast.  The conceptualisation of the Programme emerged from interaction with former President David Granger and the people in their communities.

Former Minister Amna Ally told Village Voice during a visit by Granger to Trafalgar, West Coast Berbice, a parent stood up and explained the financial constraints they were experiencing having to send their child to school in New Amsterdam. On a visit to Pomeroon, Essequibo River, Granger found that many children did not go to school because their parents could not afford the transportation cost for them to traverse from their riverain location to school at Charity on the Essequibo Coast.

The challenges experienced by these families for their children pursuing an education sparked an idea to help through the acquisition of buses, boats and bicycles to provide transportation, free of cost, to and from school. Thus birth the initial 3B Programme said Ally. These were acquired through donations from citizens and registered to the state.

The buses and boats were distributed to areas in the regions as identified by the Region. Drivers (bus), captains (boat) and conductors were hired by the state and the maintenance of the vessel (boat) and vehicle (bus) was borne by the state. The buses and boats were parked on state property and traversed every school day on a schedule to get children to and from school on time.

Bicycles were distributed to children in Regions Two, Eight and Nine, particularly to those who had to walk long distances. Ally said in Region One, for instance, children had to walk from Hosororo to Mabaruma Secondary and they were given bicycles. Those given bicycles were identified by the region based on needs.

The other two Bs- books and breakfast- were later added to the Programme. Recounting how this came about, Ally said former first lady Sandra Granger, in an outreach exercise, presented a book to a 10-year-old and the child’s response was “auntie, I can’t read.”  This experience sparked the idea for the 2 Bs.

Reflecting on the programme two years after the APNU+AFC is out of government, Ally said it was successful because the programme provided meaningful assistance to parents and their children, and this is borne out in analysis that has shown during the programme there was improved attendance, learning and examination results.

Responding to the question, why are these buses and boats parked, some showing obvious signs of rot, Ally said that is the result of poor or no maintenance. According to her, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government wanted to say the 5B Programme was no good and allowed it to fail by parking the buses or failing to do maintenance. As would be expected with any vehicle if not maintained will fall into disrepair, she reminded.

Former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, had expressed concern about the failure of the government to continue and maintain workable projects because these were implemented by the APNU+AFC. He pointed to the fact resources are scarce and should be properly managed, and proposed the need for an approved National Development Plan coming emerging from the input of all ethnic groups and political parties to stem the wastage.