With regard to the current issue of the prime minister's recent statement re the Students' Loan Bureau (SLB), I am obliged to remind the Government, as I did in a letter published December 9, last year, of its election promises in 2007. These promises were published in the Jamaica Labour Party's Election Manifesto and reported in The Gleaner of August 1, 2007.

They promised to: 1) Issue government-guaranteed education bonds to increase significantly the loan amounts available to tertiary-level students through the SLB at reduced interest rates subsidised by annual budgetary provisions.

2) Extend the repayment period to 15 years, excluding the three years' study time.

3) Restructure the payment plan so that in the first five years, students would have the option of only repaying the interest on the loan.

At this time, with many graduates/parents losing their jobs, with new graduates facing serious employment challenges, and with the SLB having serious difficulties meeting students' loan demands, it is very important that the Government honour this undertaking.

The above would not only increase the pool of funds available for lending, but would encourage increased repayment compliance, making the terms of payment more affordable to newly employed graduates and/or parents and guarantors.

I am, etc.,

WAYNE MCKENZIE

JahJahSee@gmail.com

Red Hills P.O.

St Andrew