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Ja wants developed countries to compensate for brain drain
Saturday, May 07, 2011
JAMAICA'S Foreign Minister Dr Kenneth Baugh Thursday urged developed countries to provide more funding for the training of skilled professionals in Jamaica as most of these persons migrate to those countries shortly after they complete their studies here.
The loss of educated professionals or brain drain continues in earnest with some estimates showing more than half of Jamaica's tertiary graduates migrating annually, Dr Baugh said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Dr Kenneth Baugh (centre) speaking with Akiko Fujii (left), deputy resident advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at the launch of the Project for the Development of a National Policy and Plan of Action on International Migration and Development for Jamaica, at the Planning Institution of Jamaica (PIOJ) on Oxford Road in Kingston on Thursday. Looking on is Claire Bernard, director, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Division at the PIOJ. (Photo: JIS)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Dr Kenneth Baugh (centre) speaking with Akiko Fujii (left), deputy resident advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at the launch of the Project for the Development of a National Policy and Plan of Action on International Migration and Development for Jamaica, at the Planning Institution of Jamaica (PIOJ) on Oxford Road in Kingston on Thursday. Looking on is Claire Bernard, director, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Division at the PIOJ. (Photo: JIS)
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The foreign minister was speaking at the Planning Institute of Jamaica's (PIOJ's) launch of three projects geared towards the development of a national policy and plan of action on international migration and development for Jamaica.
"In order to minimise the losses of skilled human resources, there is a compelling need for support for the proposal for co-development," he said. "Simply put, developed countries should make a financial contribution to developing countries to offset some of the costs incurred in the training of tertiary graduates in countries of origin and should pursue policies of mutual benefit apart from remittances that can assist in recovering from the loss of these graduates."
Noting that Jamaica derives many benefits from migration, including seasonal employment, remittances and the transfer of skills back to Jamaica, Dr Baugh said there were also serious consequences, including impaired socialisation and personality disorders in children who are separated from their parents.
"...Jamaica has lost 54,288 skilled professionals to North America alone over the past 20 years. This number represents 32 per cent of the total output of Jamaica's education system," he said.
An estimated 225,000 Jamaicans migrated legally to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2007, and between 1970 and 2000 just under one million people emigrated from the island.
Dr Baugh expressed concern for the children left behind, saying they were more likely to drop out of school and get involved in crimes such as drug trafficking and prostitution.
Fifty-six per cent of children left in Jamaica by their parents were under the care and supervision of siblings, while 44 per cent were with older family members and friends, figures show.
The three projects launched Thursday and which are funded by the International Organisation for Migration, the European Union and the Swiss Development Corporation respectively, will run simultaneously for 18 months each. The primary object of the national policy is to improve Government's capacity to monitor and manage international migration in line with the country's socio-economic development priorities outlined in the Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1LfZaWN7I
Saturday, May 07, 2011
JAMAICA'S Foreign Minister Dr Kenneth Baugh Thursday urged developed countries to provide more funding for the training of skilled professionals in Jamaica as most of these persons migrate to those countries shortly after they complete their studies here.
The loss of educated professionals or brain drain continues in earnest with some estimates showing more than half of Jamaica's tertiary graduates migrating annually, Dr Baugh said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Dr Kenneth Baugh (centre) speaking with Akiko Fujii (left), deputy resident advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at the launch of the Project for the Development of a National Policy and Plan of Action on International Migration and Development for Jamaica, at the Planning Institution of Jamaica (PIOJ) on Oxford Road in Kingston on Thursday. Looking on is Claire Bernard, director, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Division at the PIOJ. (Photo: JIS)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Dr Kenneth Baugh (centre) speaking with Akiko Fujii (left), deputy resident advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at the launch of the Project for the Development of a National Policy and Plan of Action on International Migration and Development for Jamaica, at the Planning Institution of Jamaica (PIOJ) on Oxford Road in Kingston on Thursday. Looking on is Claire Bernard, director, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Division at the PIOJ. (Photo: JIS)#slideshowtoggler, #slideshowtoggler a, #slideshowtoggler img { filter: none ! important; }
1/1 The foreign minister was speaking at the Planning Institute of Jamaica's (PIOJ's) launch of three projects geared towards the development of a national policy and plan of action on international migration and development for Jamaica.
"In order to minimise the losses of skilled human resources, there is a compelling need for support for the proposal for co-development," he said. "Simply put, developed countries should make a financial contribution to developing countries to offset some of the costs incurred in the training of tertiary graduates in countries of origin and should pursue policies of mutual benefit apart from remittances that can assist in recovering from the loss of these graduates."
Noting that Jamaica derives many benefits from migration, including seasonal employment, remittances and the transfer of skills back to Jamaica, Dr Baugh said there were also serious consequences, including impaired socialisation and personality disorders in children who are separated from their parents.
"...Jamaica has lost 54,288 skilled professionals to North America alone over the past 20 years. This number represents 32 per cent of the total output of Jamaica's education system," he said.
An estimated 225,000 Jamaicans migrated legally to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2007, and between 1970 and 2000 just under one million people emigrated from the island.
Dr Baugh expressed concern for the children left behind, saying they were more likely to drop out of school and get involved in crimes such as drug trafficking and prostitution.
Fifty-six per cent of children left in Jamaica by their parents were under the care and supervision of siblings, while 44 per cent were with older family members and friends, figures show.
The three projects launched Thursday and which are funded by the International Organisation for Migration, the European Union and the Swiss Development Corporation respectively, will run simultaneously for 18 months each. The primary object of the national policy is to improve Government's capacity to monitor and manage international migration in line with the country's socio-economic development priorities outlined in the Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1LfZaWN7I
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