Opposition Member of Parliament for St. Andrew North East, Kate Lewis has blasted the 14-month old Congress government for what she said was its lack of initiatives in creating new programmes for the young people of the country.
Appearing Tuesday on the GBN “To the Point” programme, the former Minister of Youth said that the new administration of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell came into office on a transformational agenda but is not doing enough to fulfill that promise.
She stressed that the educational programs that were implemented by the former New National Party (NNP) government like the IMANI program, that even though there were challenges it was beneficial.
“Of course, we have admitted that there were systematic challenges with the program but that program provided many benefits to thousands of young people,” she told the host of the programme.
According to MP Lewis, the only thing that the country has heard from the new rulers is that the IMANI program will now be put under the National Training Agency (NTA).
She also alluded to what she said was an apparent stall in youth programs and projects under Congress and a gap between what was promised to the young people and the actual reality.
She claimed that the nation has not seen nor heard of any new program ideas or any upgrade enhancement to the existing programs that were there since the change of government in June 2022.
“What is it that this current administration HAS? The question is left to be answered.”
Lewis, a former Secondary School Teacher, felt that there is now a general sense of disappointment “by our young people at this time because they were promised new job opportunities and new programs on the campaign trail and that has not been happening.”
She lamented that there has been no mention of any programs tailoring to the needs of the young people.
The Opposition MP also criticised the Government’s Free Tuition Policy program that was launched on Monday at the Trade Center.
She said that the previous NNP government had created opportunities for student’s enhancement in their education and this is nothing new from NDC and if it is not anything new then it cannot be considered as transformational.
She accused the Dickon Mitchell-led regime merely of focusing heavily on picture optics, and the launch of the Free Tuition project was done precisely for that purpose.
“To my knowledge, I heard that there was a launch of such a program and I believe that was highly unnecessary, wastage of taxpayers’ money again to mobilise all of these students, taking them away from the first day of school to launch such a program that is not anything new to students in terms of providing educational assistance, in this case, tuition,” she said.
The female Opposition MP noted that the current administration has promised free education for all but what has actually happened is nothing but a change in the tone of what was promised.
She charged that it moved from free education to all, to free tuition and even so there seem to be only two groups of students targeted for this allocation of funds.
Lewis was referring to part of the free tuition budgetary outline which reads as follows: “The appropriation of 2.5 million dollars is designated for the free tuition program aimed at covering tuition fees for eligible students pursuing post-secondary or tertiary education. This allocation specifically targets two groups of students. Those transitioning to form 5 of public secondary schools to year one of TA Marryshow community college or New Life organisation and students currently in year 2 at TAMCC.”
She stressed that high school dropouts and persons already in the workforce are not being catered for based on the budgetary document outline.
She went on to say that tuition assistance alone does not help the child who cannot afford education and that she has not heard anything from the government to assist these students.
“Some may say they get a help already with the tuition but we must understand that while some students and their parents can afford the other costs associated with education, there will always be part of this population who will not be able to afford it and that is why under our administration we catered to the whole, the general aspect of what education encompasses including transportation and meal assistance,” she remarked.
MP Lewis also made some passing remarks about the recently held Conference on the Creative industry.
She commended the initiative but in the same breath criticised it on the grounds that nothing was done afterward for it to remain sustainable and branding it as a “One Hit Wonder.”
The senior NNP Executive member claimed that what was existing by the past administration was said to be ineffective, inefficient, and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars; however, within 14 months of the new administration being in power ,young people are yet to benefit from new job opportunities or career enhancement programs.
Lewis also addressed comments made by some Grenadians that the new government should be given time to settle down and get its programmes and projects up and running.
She said that Congress should have planned on how to deliver and implement the plans that they were talking about, especially their unfulfilled promises to the youth.
“What we are seeing here was clearly talk, all talk on the campaign trail without any plans on how to implement the talk on the campaign. I would say and to be fair that any new party coming into government will of course need some time to assess what they met and to come up with their own ideas and programs but 6 months to one year should be enough time,” she added.
Lewis also responded to those who adopt the position that the present administration is taking time to try and repair the ills that were left by the previous NNP administration.
“While you are taking the time out to repair ‘the ills’ we have always admitted we were not a perfect Government, we made mistakes. Things could have been better and for any administration, you would undergo that but you must admit that there were many programs and projects that catered to the needs, and thousands of young people benefitted. So you can take the whole 5 years to correct ‘the ills’ but the young people are awaiting the much talked about programs and promises that you made on the campaign trail.”