Guyana raps T&T’s 30 per cent hike in fees for law school
Friday, August 14, 2015, Source
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The Guyana Government says it is seeking regional support regarding the decision of the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago to increase tuition fees by at least 30 per cent.
Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, told a news conference Wednesday that the position taken by the David Granger Cabinet is not dis-similar to that of other Caribbean countries, where the consensus is that the decision to increase the fees, without notice, could not be supported.
"A common approach is being sought to Hugh Wooding Law School and the Board of the Council of Legal Education, asking that the increase be put on hold until a careful examination be done and students entering can be given due notice of it.
"We are in receipt of a letter from the Prime Minister of Dominica and we are in touch with other countries of the Caribbean," Harmon said, adding, "when students enter the institution there is an expectation as to what fees they will be paying and would have budgeted for that".
The Guyana Government said that the Hugh Wooding Law School recently notified students registering for the second year of an increase of 30 per cent, resulting in fees now being estimated at TT$182,028 (One Guyana dollar =US$0.008 cents) .
The previous fee was TT$131,400 (GY$4,204,800).
The Government says the increase in fees affects students originating from several territories, including Guyana, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Dominica, amongst others.