Caribbean Studies IA

Caribbean Examination Council Caribbean Studies Internal Assessment

Name of candidate: Steve Rodrigues Candidate Number: 09000700____ School: St. Roses High School code: 09000700 Territory: Guyana Year of examination: 2016 Teacher: Miss Blackett

Table of Contents Acknowledgements............................................................................................................1 Topic...................................................................................................................................2 Sub topic:........................................................................................................................2 Problem statement:........................................................................................................2 Title.................................................................................................................................2 Introduction........................................................................................................................3 Literature review................................................................................................................4 Data collection sources......................................................................................................6 Presentation of data...........................................................................................................7 Analysis of data................................................................................................................12 Discussion of findings......................................................................................................13 Conclusion........................................................................................................................15 Recommendations............................................................................................................15 Bibliography.....................................................................................................................16 Appendix..........................................................................................................................17

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Acknowledgements I would firstly like to thank Miss Blackett, the Caribbean studies teacher of St. Roses High for her advice and step by step guidance in the completion of this School Based Assessment, I would also like to give my sincere gratitude to all the respondents who have participated in the answering of the questionnaires and in providing the necessary information to this study.

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Topic: Migration Sub topic: Causes and consequences of migration Problem statement: A case study of the factors responsible for an increased migration of university graduates in Guyana. Title: Causes for the increase in migration of university graduates

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Introduction The Caribbean is long known for its continuous history of migration from the region. This is related by statistics released by the World Bank which stated that between 1989 and 2001 over 1.4 million Caribbean nationals migrated legally to the United States alone. This increase in migration leads to a serious phenomenon known as brain drain and other economic and social problems. Guyana suffers tremendously from this issue every year which was pointed out by the Minister of Education in Guyana, who posits that 89% of its university graduates leave this shore yearly as cited by a world bank report made in 2009. The title of this study is “A case study of the factors responsible for an increase in migration of university graduates from Guyana”. Some of the research questions to be answered are: Why do graduates prefer to migrate after finishing university? Are they aware of the consequences that county may face with the loss of its valuable human resources? and Is the government is doing enough to help curb the whole migration crisis? The results of this study would be benefit to many organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (Guyana office) and also to the people of Guyana who should be more informed on the current situation of migration of our skilled professionals from this country. The University of Guyana could use the results to make effective recommendations and help spread awareness to students on campus to potentially help curb the situation, finally, the government of Guyana can use the results collected to stem the flow of migration by implementing policies that would be of benefit to the professionals. Definition of key terms: Brain drain: the emigration of highly skilled and well educated individuals from a country. Emigration: is the act of leaving one’s resident country with intent to settle elsewhere Push factor: a negative aspect or condition that motivates one to leave one’s country, organization or region Pull factor: an economic, social, political or environmental condition that entices people to immigrate or move towards a new location Skilled professional: any worker who has a special skill, training or knowledge, a skilled worker may have attended a collage, university or technical school. Migrant: a person who moves from one place to another to find work or better living conditions Migration: is the human movement of people from one place in the world to another for the purpose of taking up permanent or semi-permanent residence, usually across political boundaries 3

Literature review The topic on the increase rate at which Guyanese graduates migrate has been brought up into focus by many researchers, journalists and the concern populace. According to, The Youth Development and Empowerment Report Guyana (2012) 83% of graduates from the university of Guyana migrate from Guyana after graduation and 45% below the age of 35 would prefer to live outside of Guyana. Migration has resulted in a lack of qualified or experienced youths in the population to take up positions of leadership in all sectors. Dr.Roopnarine, Lomarsh (2013) Guyana Population Movement and Societal development, University of Guyana stated in an article that there is a myriad of reasons for Guyanese extraregional migration. The most obvious emanated from push/pull factors so commonly operative between developing and developed countries. Political and economic instability, crime and overall deteriorating living conditions have pushed Guyanese to move while favorable changing immigration laws, job opportunities and better living conditions have pulled them to better destinations in developed countries. The United Nations World Youth Report (2013) The Impact of Youth Migration posits that migration is a common feature of the Caribbean society and is a significant factor in the development of the Caribbean but Research has proven the one of the most serious adverse effects of migration is human capital flight better known as brain drain, which deprives countries of origin of the economic and social contributions of their best educated and most highly skilled citizens. The micro econometric study of emigration from developing countries (Van Dalen et al. 2005) shows that the enormous differences in income are a major stimulus for moving to developed countries, Milanovic Branko, The Economic Causes of Migration (2013) with an article stating the large gaps in mean incomes and wages are obviously a magnet for migration further supporting the Van Dalen et al publication (2005). Skilled Labour migration from developing countries: Study on the Caribbean Region(July, 2002) authored by Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope stated that the problem lies in that the demand of skilled professionals from developed countries are largely met by developing countries triggering an exodus of their skilled personnel she went on blaming the availability of more jobs in developed countries which developing countries lack and seek, adding to Elizabeth ThomasHope publication came from the Caribbean Current in an article on Jamaicans and the brain drain(2015) stating that the incapability to provide jobs for tertiary-level graduates is one of the biggest contributing factors in the brain drain phenomena to date. If a developing country is unable to provide proper jobs for the new working class, then people migrate.

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And it’s due to this migration, “Countries such as Guyana have large portions of their population living outside the country and the region, thereby depriving the country of the talents and skills ® for further development” per ( CAPE Caribbean Studies authored by Jeanette Ottlley,

Marolyn Gentles and Veta Dawson (2013).

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Data collection sources In investigating the potential causes for the increase migration of university graduates from Guyana, two main sources were explored those were primary and secondary sources respectively, the information integral to the title of the study being investigated were gathered at first had from 30 graduates from the University of Guyana and has been classified as a primary source, the instrument used to gather this data was the questionnaire, which was filled with questions based on the said issue. Using the questionnaire as the instrument of data collection, had many advantages such as its time friendliness, since its format and overall instructions are simple to understand, it also offers anonymity to the respondents, allowing them to give more truthful responses that they may have been sensitive to them if they were in a face to face interview with the researcher. This instrument also had some disadvantages such as, some questions may be skipped and ignored and since the questions and responses are standardized there is no room for the addition of any sort of information that may have been useful to the research. Other secondary sources were also used such as articles from Dr.Lomarsh Roopnarine, Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope and Van Dalen et al along with a report done by the Youth Development and Empowerment report Guyana. The process that involved the distribution of questionnaires took place over a period of 2 weeks, the questionnaire used (found in the appendix) was administered to the graduates during different time periods of the weeks when available and were asked to respond truthfully and to the best of their knowledge.

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Presentation of data The main findings of this research were that majority of respondents indicated that there is an increase in the migration of university graduates from Guyana and it has the presence of some push and pull factors to be held responsible for this.

Figure 1 showing the percentage of respondents that responded to if they think that there is an increase in migration of University graduates from Guyana.

Figure 1

Unsure Unsure; 7%

No

No; 10%

Yes

Yes; 83%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Column1

The bar graph above shows that 83% of the respondents taught that indeed there is an increase migration of university graduates from Guyana while 10% of the sample size taught that university graduates were not leaving. There was an unsure 7% of respondents that were not aware of any migration of university graduates.

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Figure 2 showing the percentage of responses on the factors that contributes to the increase migration of graduates from the University of Guyana.

Figure 2 45% Lack of proper jobs suiting their qualifications 40%

Pull factors 35%form other countries 30%

Political instability 25% Percentage of responses 20%

High cost of living 15% 10%

Lack of proper infrastructure and facilities to work in 5% 0%

The graph above shows that majority of the graduates (40%) indicated that due to the lack of jobs suiting their qualifications, have led to an increase in graduate migration, 30% taught that its due to pull factors, while 20% blames the high cost of living, 7% of the graduates responded that the lack of proper infrastructure and facilities is accountable, whilst just 3% of the total sample body had political instability to be held accountable for the increase in graduate migration.

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Table 1 showing the tabulated results collected from the response to the question, “In what ways do you think the country is affected when university graduates migrate”.

Responses

Percentage of responses

Loss of valuable human resources

50%

Drop of standards at public facilities/institutions from the lack of professionals

27%

Can result to a fall of GDP

7%

Increase in imported labor

3%

The employment of lesser qualified persons to fill positions that require higher qualifications

13%

From the data collected, 50% of the total respondents indicated that the loss of valuable human resources is the main effect of university graduate migration, 27% point out that the standards of public facilities will drop, 7% specify the it can result to a fall of GDP, while just 3% taught there will be an increase in imported labor and 13% indicated that it will led to the employment of lesser qualified persons to fill higher positions.

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Figure 3 showing a graphical representation of the number of respondents that specifically indicated which pull factors they think that encourage university graduates to migrate to other countries.

Figure 3 45% 40% 35% 30% 25%

No. of respondents 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Figure 3 shows that 40% of the total respondents indicated that the availability of jobs is the leading pull factor for university graduates migrating, while 30% indicated that it’s because of better living conditions, 7% of the individuals taught it was for better medical care, 3% assumed it is because of enforced security, then 20% indicated that it was due to better educational opportunities, no respondent indicated that the presence of political freedom in other countries posed as a pull factor for university migrates.

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Figure 4 showing the different percentage of respondents that shared their view on measures if put into place, would be more effective in reducing the increase migration of university graduates.

Figure 4 Close the free movement of skilled and qualified professionals among CARICOM

7%

7%

Increase job wages

40% Provide more jobs with better opportunities

46%

Develop infrastructure to enhance working conditions

According to the results depicted by the pie chart above, majority(46%) of the respondents suggest that increasing job wages would be more effective in reducing the increase rate of university graduates migration from Guyana, while 40% suggests that more jobs with better opportunities should be provided, 7% indicated for the development of infrastructure to enhance working conditions and finally just another 7% suggested the closing of the free movement of skilled and qualified professionals among CARICOM.

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Analysis of data With all the data collected from the main source of data collection (the use of questionnaires) it was noticed that from the 30 respondents not all of the graduates were aware of the current increase in migration of university graduates, this was evident from figure 1, which showed that 83% of the respondents were aware of an increase in migration of university graduates but 7% were unaware of the dilemma while 10% had no idea of any increase which the researcher finds disturbing because this is a very important matter which not much address is given to, surprisingly 97% of the respondents actually agree on this matter by responding to a question given in the questionnaire which asks “ Do you think the government is doing enough to ease the migration of university graduates” many of them answering “No”. Even though 17% of the respondents were unaware of the increased migration of university graduates they had some knowledge of what can cause or led to them migrating. Figure 2 depicts the percentage value of the responses from each specific question on the causes that contribute to the increase in migration of university graduates from Guyana, a whopping 40% of the respondents blames the lack of proper jobs suiting their qualifications for this, while 30% of the respondents from the total sample population point out that pull factors from other countries results in graduates wanting to migrate, 20% indicated that its due to the high cost of living, 7% chose the lack of proper infrastructure and facilities to work in as their leading cause while just 3% taught it was a result of political instability. In table 1 which tabulated the results on the effects of the increase migration of university graduates, the most dominant response showed 50% of the sample population indicating that there will be a loss of valuable human resources, while with a decreasing trend, 27% chose on the drop of standards at public facilities , 7% on the fall of GDP while just 3% sided with the increase of imported labour, and with a slight increase, 13% indicated that there will be an increase in lesser qualified persons filling positions that require higher qualifications. Figure 3 showed the responses specifically to some pull factors present that may had led to university graduates migrating, firstly the availability of jobs present in other countries have grabbed 40% of the respondents as their choice, 30% suggested it was for better living conditions, while 7% indicated its for better medical care, while 3% for better security, 20% taught it was for better educational opportunities and none(0%) of the participants taught that graduates migrate for political freedom.

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Discussion of findings This case study which was done to challenge the hypothesis that university graduates from the University of Guyana migrate due to push factors present in the country and pull factors from another, supporting this claim came from both primary and secondary sources, which most of the data collected supported that suggestion strongly. In analyzing the results collected, majority the respondents agreed that both push and pull factors create an opportunistic excuse for graduates to leave, forty percent of the responses to why graduates leave was due to the lack of jobs suiting their qualifications while co relating to another question majority of the responses to why these graduates migrated to their selected country was due to the availability of jobs there, the ideology of the push and pull factors came into play and was related by Dr. Lomarsh Roopnarine under an article about Guyana Population Movement and Societal development (2013) which stated that “that there is a myriad of reasons for Guyanese extra-regional migration. The most obvious emanated from pull factors such as the availability of better jobs elsewhere and better living conditions,” he further stated that “deteriorating living conditions have pushed Guyanese to move.” It was also stated by Dr. Lomarsh Roopnaine (2013) that political instability can push Guyanese to migrate but surprisingly when asked specifically for a pull factor they taught would encourage them (university graduates) to migrate, none (0%) of the respondents indicated political freedom even though political freedom was a suggested response. It seemed that all the university graduates wanted to migrate for are for jobs, and the Caribbean Current in an article on Jamaicans and brain drain (2015) could not have agreed any more or less, in the article it stated that “the incapability to provide jobs for tertiary-level graduates is one of the biggest contributing factors to the brain drain phenomena the article further goes on to say “if a county is unable to provide proper jobs for the new working class, then people migrate” which would result to the loss of valuable human resources, according to majority of the responses to the effects of the migration of university graduates to the country. The researcher’s judgement on the causes, which further lead to consequences from university graduates leaving their home land due to some push and pull factors follows a perspective that made by ( CAPE

®

Caribbean Studies authored by Jeanette Ottlley, Marolyn Gentles and Veta

Dawson (2013)- that Guyana have large portions of their population living outside the country and the region, thereby depriving the country of the talents and skills for further development. From the causes that led to increased migration of university graduates effects such as human capital flight better known as brain drain also deprives the countries of origin of the economic and social contributions of their best educated and most highly skilled citizens posited by the 13

United Nations Youth Report(2013) this statement has concurred to 50% of the respondents that indicated that the loss of valuable human resources as the major effect to the country when university graduates migrate.

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Conclusion This study based on the current increase in migration of university graduates from Guyana have the presence of push and pull factors present in the sole country and the recipient to be blamed. Majority of the university graduates that migrate do so because of the hostile living conditions present in Guyana they blame the lack of proper jobs suiting their qualifications the main reason for the migration of university graduates at an alarming rate. Along with the push factors, the existing pull factors present in developed countries also influence the increase in migration of university graduates, the availability of better paying jobs was agreed to be greatest pull factor to university graduates looking for employment.

Limitations Since some of the questions in the questionnaire were standardized and closed there were no room for the respondents to provide any additional detail that may have been useful to this study. It was found that some sources that had valuable information related to this study was so outdated that it could not be used due to its irrelevance to the modern-day situation of this study. The sample size of this study was on a reasonably small scale to guarantee that the findings are of standard reliability, due to the lack of finances to subsidized this study to a larger scale

Recommendations From, the study, it was deduced that graduates migrate due to the lack of proper jobs suiting their qualifications, it should be a priority of this government to encourage investors to expand their companies to boast their local coverage in the country to help boost the employment level. It is recommended that higher education such as certain master programs should be provided to Guyanese who want to extend their qualifications, the lack of these educational opportunities at the university of Guyana would force people to migrate elsewhere to acquire them. There should be an increase of job wages to attract qualified persons to seek employment locally rather than to migrate overseas to seek better packages The development of existing infrastructure and facilities should be approached to improve working conditions for workers 17

Bibliography The Caribbean Current. ( 2015, June ) Jamaicans and the Brain Drain. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from https://thecaribbeancurrent.com/jamaicans-and-the-brain-drain/ Castles,S. Haas,d,H & Miller.J,M. (2014). The Age of Migration. Basingtroke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillian. Hope,T.H (2002). Skilled Labour Migration from Developing Countries. Retrieved February 13,2017 fromhttps://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b293/f81e297afcb2efe042c4571da350a7664c8e.pdf Milanovic,B (2013). The Economic Causes of Migration. Retrieved February 15,2017 from https://www.theglobalist.com/economic-causes-migration/ Ottley,J. Gentles,M & Dawson,V. (2013). CAPE® Caribbean Studies. Harlow, Essex: Person Education Limited. Roopnaine, Lomarsh (2013). Guyana Movement and Societal Development. Retrieved February 15, 2017, from https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx? src=http://idsguyana.org/attachments/article/132/Guyana%20Population%20Movement%20and %20Societal%20Development%202.doc

Limitations Since some of the questions in the questionnaire were standardized and closed there were no room for the respondents to provide any additional detail that may have been useful to this study. It was found that some sources that had valuable information related to this study was so outdated that it could not be used due to its irrelevance to the modern-day situation of this study. The sample size of this study was on a reasonably small scale to guarantee that the findings are of standard reliability, due to the lack of finances to subsidized this study to a larger scale

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Appendix 238 pike street, Campbellville, Georgetown, Guyana.

Dear respondent, This is a survey being carried out to determine the potential causes for the migration of graduates from the University of Guyana. This study is being conducted as an assignment for the school based assessment (S.B.A) that I am pursuing presently. You are advised to answer the following question of this questionnaire honestly and truthfully. Remember this is not a test; there is no right or wrong responses. All the questions can be answered by placing a tick √ next to your response. Specific instruction is given when necessary Thank you

Steve Rodrigues

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Questionnaire 1. Gender Male Female 2. Age Please specify…… 3. Ethnicity African East Indian Amerindian Portuguese Chinese European Mixed 4. Do you think that there has been an increase in the migration of university graduates? Yes No unsure 5. Do you know any graduate who have migrated? Yes No 6. Why do you think the graduates are migrating? Vacation Work Further study To live 7. Are you aware of the consequences that can result in an educated individual or potential professional leaving his/her country? No Yes

8. What do you think contributes to an increased migration of graduates from the university of Guyana? Lack of proper paying jobs suiting their qualifications 20

High cost of living Lack of proper infrastructure and facilities to work in Political instability Political instability 9. Which country do you think most university graduates migrate to? United states of America United Kingdom Canada Caribbean region Australia China Other ………………………………………. 10. What factors do you think encourage university graduates to migrate to the county selected above? Availability of jobs Better living conditions Better medical care Enforced security Better educational opportunities Political freedom 11. Do you think that the county is affected when university graduates migrate? Yes No 12. In what ways, do you think the county is mostly affected when university graduates migrate? Loss of valuable human resources or brain drain Drop in standards at public facilities/institutions Can result in a drop of GDP High increase in fresh imported labour The employment of lesser qualified persons to fill positions that require higher qualifications 13. Do you think the government is doing enough to ease the migration of university graduates? Yes No 14. Which measure do you think if implemented would help curb the increase migration of university graduates effectively? Close the free trade of skilled and qualified professional in CARICOM Increase job wages Provide more jobs with better opportunities Develop infrastructure to enhance working conditions 21

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