More than half of SLB borrowers unemployed

Monique Grange, Assistant News Editor
The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre

About 58 per cent of beneficiaries of the Students’ Loans Bureau (SLB) are unemployed.

That disclosure was made by the SLB’s legal officer, Shellian O’Gere during Parliament’s Public Administration and Appropriations Committee meeting yesterday.

Responding to questions from committee member Mikael Phillips, O’Gere revealed that a survey has found that up to the end of 2012 most of SLB’s borrowers were unemployed.

She said the survey also found that many others were underemployed.

In the meantime, O’Gere said the SLB has so far collected $30 million in outstanding loans from its Christmas Rewards Promotion.

She said that incentive promotion has been extended to the end of this month.

O’Gere said the names of delinquents will be published at the end of the incentive programme.

The cash-strapped agency is now seeking $6.4 billion in funding for loans for the next academic year.

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