President Granger commissions new school buses

Here we are, not demanding anything from the people, but giving back to the people”, said President David Granger on Monday last as he handed over three school buses in keeping with the Ministry’s 5B’s (buses, boats,bicycles, books and breakfast) initiative.

The buses which were handed over at D’urban Park, will be used in South and North Georgetown.

Attendees also included First Lady Sandra Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who chaired the event and Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally. Members of the diplomatic corps, members of the National Toshao Council, donors of the buses were also present.

In opening remarks, Minister Lawrence said, “This afternoon’s programme is all about our boys and girls.”

She added that it is the president’s vision, “To ensure that every boy and every girl, not only in Georgetown but across the length and breadth of our country have an opportunity to go to school”.

She stressed on the importance of the buses and how they will benefit parents financially by saving transportation fees.

According to her, it is the president’s vision also to ensure every child gets to school safely, on time and more regularly.

Minister Ally said that the event is a testimony of a good and caring government, and that “we have a leader who has a vision to take Guyana to new and greater heights.”

“We have a proactive government that will seek to address social ills and inequality issues, specifically issues that impede children and young people from achieving their full potential in life. We will invest because we recognize that education is both the human right in itself and an essential means to realizing other human rights as an important empowerment right. Education is the primary engine by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities.

“Education empowers people with the knowledge, skills and values they need to build an economically sustainable nation through our investment in access to education, we as a nation will empower our boys and girls. We will be able to safeguard our children from exploitative and hazardous labour and sexual exploitation, promote human rights and democracy and protect and manage our environment via sustainable measures. This programme has become extremely successful because now we are bridging the education gap between hinterland and coastal regions by providing increased access to transportation for school children to get to and from school. Students are now able to get to school on time and parents are no longer burdened with transportation.”

According to Minister Ally, two of the buses will be utilized in South and North Georgetown. Two other buses are also expected to service the East Coast and East Bank areas.

One is already operational on the Linden Soesdyke Highway.

Source:https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com