It was extremely disturbing to read Dr Rolph Balgobin's utterances on Gate. There are instances when I question if he's ever operating as an Independent Senator. The key word being Independent. He would be well-advised to train his guns on far more pressing issues with respect to Government's wastage. Gate is not one of them.
Factor in at least $1,500 per month rent, daily allowances, books and weekend trips to and from the University of the West Indies and one would quickly see how beneficial Gate is to parents and students south of Chaguanas and I dare say, with traffic being what it is, south of the Caroni Bridge.I often question whether or not the educated elite feel threatened by Gate. After all, who's going to protect their esteemed position from being infiltrated by the lower and middle classes?
Clouding the issue by saying that Gate should not be available to the rich and sneaking in "all others should be given a loan" reeks of like tactics to further suppress the poor and middle class. Whoever is wasting the opportunity of Gate is a fool. But please don't heap everybody into that group.Dr Balgobin you can, instead, feel free to discuss the following:
1. The disparity between the old age grant (a pension by any other name) and NIS received by citizens. The former being non-contributory and the latter being contributory.
2. The funding of the Point Fortin highway with cash and not a loan.
3. The Children's Hospital being constructed on an earthquake-prone piece of land.
4. Why no statistics are provided for students to enable a better choice of study to reduce the likelihood of underemployment.
5. Why the government has not seen it fit to establish a national parenting programme or even introduce it as a course of study in secondary schools.
The next time you are tempted to pronounce on Gate, do some research on the number of students who are benefitting from it.
Andy Jangeesingh,
Via e-mail