PLP and college loans

Sidney Sweeting, DDS

A recent editorial in the Tribune took issue with the former Prime Minister, Mr. Perry Christie, about his negative comments about the FNM after the recent by election in Elizabeth Estates. It was pointed out that the history of the PLP re intimidation of the voters, vote buying,etc leaves the public thinking that either he has a short memory or he thinks that we do.

He also recently criticized the FNM for not continuing the college loan program that his party started. It was reported in the Punch on Thursday that very few of those loans have been honored and that hundreds of thousands of dollars are outstanding. The most disgusting part of the report is that in most cases loans were paid to the students for four years up front.

That must surely be a first in the history of college loans. Did it never occur to anyone on the committee to assure that the student had a decent grade point average before he or she would be given the funds for the following year(s)?

This was the same Government that introduced the National Health Plan. A sickening thought.