Hassan Nahon flags student loan debt
Independent MP Marlene Hassan Nahon yesterday called for explanations as to the “staggering” £2million student loan debt owed by the Gibraltar Government.
According to Mrs Hassan Nahon graduates are being “chased” by the UK Student Loan Company for the collection of tuition fees, despite the Government’s promise to shoulder this debt.
In a press statement yesterday Mrs Hassan Nahon said graduates have voiced their “concerns and confusion” since she questioned the debt last week in Parliament.
In answer to her questions, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told her this was the GSD’s doing and “alluded” to this being an old debt from before this administration’s time in office.
“Whether this is true or not, I ask Government for an explanation of this debt, and that if it is, in fact, a debt from the days of the GSD, why has this administration not managed to keep on top of it in the last five years, or indeed have any idea about it until it was flagged up by me in Parliament last week,” Ms Hassan Nahon said.
“I also ask Government whether they intend to settle this debt and how soon, and what the graduates who are being called up by the UK Student Loans Company should be saying to them.”