Aubyn Hill
LIKE MOST every one of these weekly articles, last week's on "Why Jamaicans Excel Abroad" stimulated a large number of responses here in Jamaica and from overseas. Some of these responses were extensive and others were pithy and to the point. Except for one from Atlanta they were quite supportive of the content.
The writer from Atlanta was critical because he felt I tried to duck the issue as to why Jamaicans left Jamaica in the first place. I try to respond to most readers who write to me (I have a few with which I must catch up during my summer holidays) and to the reader in Atlanta I explained that he had confused two separate issues.
His concern and this week's topic, deals with why Jamaicans become emigrants in such large numbers, while last week's article examined why Jamaicans, as immigrants in foreign countries, tend to do so well. Luckily for us, hardly anyone can claim to suffer severe political persecution, and therefore leave Jamaica for that reason. Most of our emigrants leave the country because of economic reasons. There are a few who migrate to evade the law but they tend to stop at a destination even closer than Miami.
FIVE FLIGHTS A DAY
While very few people leave Jamaica today because of political anxiety or fear, in the seventies former Prime Minister, Michael Manley's invitation to those who did not like his economic or political policies to take one of the 'five flights a-day' to Miami served to banish a large number of our intelli-gentsia, entrepreneurs and professional citizenry. The opening of that floodgate was never fully closed and gave many Jamaicans a reason to emigrate - many of whom may never have considered leaving the country. The establishment of a Diaspora, made up of very intelligent, hard-working, entrepreneurial and professional Jamaicans in the United States because of Manley's policy in the mid-seventies, provided a very supportive beachhead for family members and friends (of those who had become estab-lished immigrants) to continue to leave Jamaica.
CRIME AND FEAR
Some months ago, one of my weekly articles dealt exclusively with the fact that the fear of crime by many Jamaicans is one of the top two or three reasons why many professionals and bright young students leave the country to live overseas. Kingfish and the broader group of professionals in the security forces have been recording serious successes in the past few months. Nonetheless, bringing crime under control to the point where Jamaicans no longer fear for their lives because they disagree with someone, are fearless enough to report extortionists, or woman and children do not get up every morning feeling that they are at particular risk of being raped, forced into prostitution and pornography, or killed simply because they refuse to cover and support some male criminals is some time away. We will still have people seeking to leave this country simply because of their fear of crime. The murderous mayhem that happens in many districts and communities of our country and hit the headlines on a regular basis is a chilling source of fear and the reason why many Jamaicans continue to leave the country in order to protect their most valuable possession - their lives.
LACK OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
Some people who leave may have been quite willing to try and manage the crime problem if they were making a good living. Many Jamaican emigrants leave because they have no good economic opportunities around them, nor can they see any developing in the foreseeable future. Finding food and shelter, as Abraham Maslow mentioned in his now famous hierarchy, are the most pressing drivers behind human behaviour. Take our nurses, for instance. There is a shortage of about 125,000 nurses in the United States today. By 2012 the shortage is expected to be about one million. A Jamaican nurse, depending on his or her specialty and experience can expect to earn about US$50,000-$75,000 a year in the United States. Last week we were told through public demonstrations and via radio and television that our nurses are earning a paltry J$30,000 as monthly take-home pay. Our nurses will continue to leave because they see opportunities overseas.
The nursing story also rings true for teachers who are also being recruited by overseas educational institutions. It is the same attractive recruiting story for those who have actuarial degrees or are doctors, accoun-tants and other trained and experienced professionals. Trinidad and Tobago's near-zero unemployment situation is forcing businesses in that country to go further down the skills hierarchy. They are hiring away our carpenters, masons, steel-benders and others. The same is true for Antigua when it comes to our trained hotel and hospitality personnel. Elsewhere, I have spoken and written about preparing our people with the "fit for export" stamp; however, as yet ours in not a distinct national policy to train people for export. We are simply losing them because they have insufficient opportunities to better themselves through good employment in Jamaica.
GOVERNMENT POLICY NEEDS TO CHANGE
I believe the economy has to be driven by well-run businesses that are profitable and which train their employees constantly while ensuring that they are rewarded and recognised regularly and appropriately. Still, it is government that has the responsibility to develop, articulate and implement the kinds of economic policies which will help businesses grow. Growing businesses do provide employment which will raise the living standards of our people in a sustained manner. The whole gamut of government policies needs to be reassessed in order to infuse a higher economic growth rate which will encourage businesses and new investors to expand their activities and employ more Jamaicans in better paying jobs.
Government's position on taxes (remove some - the transfer tax on land - reduce others, ensure that existing ones are properly implemented - like the admirable and systematic way that small and medium sized businesses are being monitored and evaluated to ensure that they are on the tax rolls and that they pay taxes) and getting the Government out of businesses that should best be left to the private sector - hotels, airlines and even the ports come to mind - are areas which good public policies can be used to help. Bad government policies are good reasons why many Jamaicans continue to leave. Great policies and excellent enforcement will reduce crime and make Jamaicans feel comfortable to stay in Jamaica while others will be encouraged to return home.
Aubyn Hill is the CEO of Corporate Strategies Ltd, a restructuring and financial advisory firm. Respond to: writerhill@gmail.com
