Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a statement by president of TYA, Miss Ronique Brown:

On the heels of the College of The Bahamas' intention to raise tuition fees, we the members of the Torchbearers Youth Association wish to express our discontent with this ill-timed increase. It is our view that no such increase is needed at this time, especially when many Bahamians are still feeling the pinch of a slowed and dampened Bahamian economy. With an overall increase in the cost of living in the Bahamas, compounded with the debilitating effects that have been brought about as a result of the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT), students are already struggling to meet the costs of obtaining a quality education.

We appreciate the fact that education is the key to the future, the key to economic opportunities and financial independence; however it seems as if the College at this time wishes to make this possibility even more difficult to achieve. We urge the government,who made grand promises to the Bahamian people regarding doubling investments in education,to dismiss and reject any requests that are presented toincrease feesthis time. It is a known fact that the College's operating costs have outstripped revenues and led to a deficit over the past few years, but we must remain mindful of the fact that the Government of the Bahamas during the period 2012-2014 slashed subventions to the College by some $6.7 million; this fact alone serves as evidence of the fact that campaign promises have not been fulfilled.

There is very little focus on developing or investing in the human capital of the Bahamas in general and in our young people in particular. Under the PLP, young Bahamians have been placed on the back-burner in order to invest in a variety of frivolous activities.

This decrease in funding to the College is obviously a contributing factor as to why a request for increased fees is even being made at this time. If the government is to approve such increases, they will simply continue to demonstrate that the promises made to the Bahamian people were a farce, and that there is no intention to foster economic empowerment and independence through education for our young people. We encourage students at the College of The Bahamas to fight against any such increases and we in the Torchbearers Youth Association stand united with the College of The Bahamas Union of Students as we band together to prevent any such increases.