Opposition Senator Wilfred Abrahams (L) an MP, Edmund Hinkson at the press briefing today
An opposition parliamentarian is today accusing the Freundel Stuart administration of reneging on its promise to act as a guarantor for certain student loan applicants and failing to follow through on the promised National Registration Education Plan.
The accusations were made at a press briefing at the office of the Leader of the Opposition by Member of Parliament for St James North, Edmund Hinkson.
He recalled that Minister of Education, Ronald Jones, had promised during debate on the last budget that Government would stand as a guarantor for applicants to the Student Revolving Loan Fund for those who could not afford to pay.
“Yet, he has recently announced a policy for these loans that does not in any way remove the previous requirements of two sureties or collateral security, such as cash, land, property, shares, government paper, shares or mutual funds,” the St James, North representative said.
He noted that only loans of $12,000 or less attract no surety, which is contrary to the Government undertaking.
“They promised that there will be no threshold whatsoever,” he contended.
Hinkson also questioned Government’s silence on a plan, announced in the 2013 budget by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler, that would allow persons who utilise a National Registration Education Savings Plan to save towards tertiary education.
“This whole episode marks another in a string of breach of promises made by the DLP [government] to the people who elected them in order to improve the quality of their lives,” added Hinkson, the opposition shadow Minister of Education.
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Author: ehinksonadmin
Edmund "Eddie" Hinkson is an attorney-at-law residing in Waterhall Terrace, St. James. The husband of Beverly and father of Erica and Gregory, he has an outstanding record as a community leader.
He has been a member of the Lions Club of Bridgetown for the past 24 years and has the honours of being named the Best President of the Lions Clubs in the Caribbean District 60B and of serving as the Lions Clubs Leader of Barbados.
Eddie has been a member of the Advisory Board of Directors of the Salvation Army for the past 5 years. He has also served as a member of the Council of St. Johns Ambulance Association, the Association of the Blind and Deaf and of the Council for the Disabled. Eddie has been a sub-committee chairman of the Small Business Association and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A member of the Lawn Tennis Association and the Paragon Tennis Club, he has sponsored cricket, football and netball tournaments, provided prizes at school speech days, assisted churches with outreach and mentorship programmes, provided food vouchers to needy persons and helped in finding solutions to constituency issues relating to land.
In government, he served as Chairman of the National Conservation Commission and the Severance Payments Tribunal, Deputy Chairman of the National Housing Corporation, the National Advisory Committee on Disabilities and the Building Advisory Committee as well as a Director of the National Cultural Foundation, a Member of Consumer Claims Tribunal, Income Tax Appeal Board and the Harrison College Board of Management. Internationally, Edmund is an officer of the International Bar Association, a member of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and a member of International Who’s Who of Professionals.
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