News
JAM | Dec 15, 2025

SLB reports strong uptake of debt reset programme    

/ Our Today

administrator
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Director of Client Relationship Management Services at the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB), Cheryl Surjue, outlines details of the agency’s Debt Reset Programme during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’. (Photo: JIS/Shanna Salmon)

The Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) has reported encouraging participation in its recently launched Debt Reset Programme, with more than 6,000 clients already onboarded through the customer portal.

Approximately 3,600 clients have already applied for the Debt Reset Programme. Of this group, 800 have sought the arrears credit, while 2,900 have applied for the ‘Good Standing’ credit of $100,000.

Overall, some 25,000 customers stand to benefit from the initiative, according to Director of Client Relationship Management Services, Cheryl Surjue.

Under the Programme, SLB is offering a limited-time initiative to assist borrowers with Targeted Loan accounts that are in arrears as of October 31, 2025.

Eligible persons will receive a 100 per cent waiver of late fees and insurance charges, a 50 per cent waiver of interest arrears as at October 31 (once the borrower pays the difference in the outstanding arrears within the programme window). 

Additionally, a one-time credit of up to $100,000 will be made to accounts in Good Standing as at October 31, 2025.

Debt Recovery Manager at the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB), Owin Watson, speaks about the agency’s Debt Reset Programme during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’. (Photo: JIS/Shanna Salmon)

Speaking during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, Surjue noted that the good standing credit for onboarded applicants has been successfully applied to their accounts.

“So if they should go online now, they will see that amount applied to their account,” she stated.

Surjue reiterated that clients will be required to make principal payments in arrears to receive the benefits under the programme.

“The customer can either clear the principal arrears in one go, or they can schedule the payments for the principal arrears and the 50 per cent interest arrears over the period. That will give them a… fresh start in terms of getting back on track and start making their monthly payments on time,” she said.

Meanwhile, SLB’s Debt Recovery Manager, Owin Watson, emphasised that customers qualifying for the good standing credit must first be onboarded on the platform in order to access the Bureau’s portal and confirm that the benefit has been, or will be, applied to their loan accounts.

The onboarding process includes visiting the agency’s website at register.slbja.com, selecting ‘Start Onboarding’, completing the Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) verification, and filling out personal information (name, email address, telephone). Once all relevant fields are completed, applicants click ‘Submit’.

“Once they have successfully onboarded, they’ll be able to download their statements, and they’ll see the credit visibly on their loan statements,” Watson said.

Tags
SLB

Comments

What To Read Next

News JAM Apr 1, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutesYoung Jamaica, the youth arm of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has called for the resignation of East Central St Andrew Member of Parliament Dennis Gordon following revelations made during a recent session of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

“Young Jamaica, take note of confirmation during yesterday’s Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that JACDEN Limited is among the multi-million dollar beneficiaries of what a recent report from the Auditor General revealed to be the unlawful and inappropriate use of the tax exemption status of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI),” the youth arm said in a statement.

News JAM Apr 1, 2026

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), recently concluded a two-day After-Action Review (AAR) workshop held from March 24–25. The workshop aimed to strengthen Jamaica’s preparedness and response systems following the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

After-Action Reviews are a standard tool in emergency management, used to assess response efforts, capture lessons learned, and improve coordination, planning, and operational systems for future events. Importantly, aligning the AAR process with the International Health Regulations (IHR) ensures that the evaluation of public health emergencies meets globally recognised standards, strengthening Jamaica’s ability to detect, assess, report, and respond to health threats in a timely and effective manner.

News USA Apr 1, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a series of strengthened screening and vetting measures aimed at enhancing national security and public safety, particularly for applicants from high-risk countries.

In a statement released Tuesday (March), USCIS said its review of pending workloads and benefit applications revealed that prior screening measures were “wholly inadequate.” According to the agency, many applicants for naturalisation and lawful permanent residence were not sufficiently vetted, creating risks to national security and public safety while undermining the integrity of the immigration system.