People’s National Party President Mark Golding says “help is on the way” for Jamaicans struggling to repay loans with the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB), if his party forms the next government after the September 3 General Election.

“Youngsters, the students who have borrowed student loan, help is on the way,” Golding said. “We’re going to modify the lending terms so that the loan payments are capped at a percentage of your actual income and you will always be able to afford to pay it

“If there’s a period of time that you’re out of work, we’ll suspend the obligation to pay during that period and tap those payments on the back end of the loan so you don’t mash up your credit and you can go and buy a car and get a loan for your car or buy a house and get a loan for your house,” he said to shouts of approvals from supporters.

He made the remarks as the PNP brought its campaign to Kingston Central on Friday, bringing a message of hope to young people in the constituency.

The party’s candidate for Kingston Central, retired superintendent of police Steve McGregor reiterated the PNP’s proposed homework programme and its plan to cover full tuition for the first person in a family to attend college or university, noting he was already getting requests from constituents.

“I was in Franklin Town yesterday, and I found 10 comrades who are ready for the first in family scholarship fund. They didn’t stop there, they signed up with me to be a part of our homework programme,” McGregor said.

Noting that “we are not about handing out $5,000 and $10,000 to try to trick you”, McGregor added: “We are going to empower you, and listen to the sweetener, we’re not just only going to help you to start your business, we’re going to carry through some short programmes on how to make your better money managers so you can sustain the business that you start.”