viewpoints
post courier, Wednesday 16th January, 2008


What is government’s answer to the ‘brain drain’

Brain drain occurs through the loss of skilled professionals through sudden death or migration of professionals to another company and geographical economic zone for better working conditions is a significant policy challenge for Papua New Guinea undergoing globalisation.
To start with there is no data that documents the number of PNG workers abroad.
It is imperitive for the Government to put in place a policy on brain drain to address the issue.
The policy should provide direction to control, monitor, develop, retain and even export our top brains for the long term development of Papua New Guinea.
The human capital fight has a significant policy implication for PNG values, cultures and institutions.
We need to see the brain drain as a significant problem and look at how other countries are coping with this problem that we can learn from. We need to look at how we can make the best use of the talent and skills we developed.
Explore the best policy mix in terms of wages, education, training, international scholarship, learning needs assessment, mentoring and network, research and development, job opportunities in position such as management and research and development, support for entrepreneual culture and quality of life.
PNG needes a policy to deal with attempts to lure our top brains.
The challenge is to protect them from bogus offers and disappointments. A government faced by the threat of a brain drain might adopt various strategies.
These may include attempts to prevent graduates from working abroad, attempt to recoup the costs of a graduate’s education, attempts to create conditions at home more attractive for graduates to stay and work, set up independent body to regulate the flow of professionals across boarders.Top graduates who would like to make academic careers in engineering, mathematics or other science and graduates who would like to make a career in medicine should be attended to.
A major outward brain drain would be avoided if their conditions are improved.
By allowing the present situation to continue, the Government would be contributing by neglect to the growing numbers of young PNG academics who come to the conclusion that the best way will be to make their careers abroad.

– John Varey
Nil Bine Nem

It has nothing to do with government in the first instance. It has to do with whether or not we trained PNGeans care enough about our country to stay at home and do whatever we can to increase the human resource value

INCREASE PAY AND WE STAY IN PNG>>> or MONEY IS GOOD OVERSEAS>>> GET OUT.

this issue is hyped up - if a lot of pngeans had their way, they would go certainly go overseas. the few pngeans (compared to other pacific islanders like fijians or tongans) that have been able to secure study or job opportunies are mainly connected with churches in png and some oil and mineral exploration companies (or while doing those things, ahev found someone on the streets so decide to live there permanently).

otherwise, many mid-career level pngeans and young professionals are either not properly educated and trained to be internationally competitive in the global job market and/or are too much into politics and currupt practices in png and/or lack the confidence and professional skills to explore opportunities outside.

NOTE: You are only talking about those who see dollar signs in their eyes.

You aren't talking about nationalists who love their country PNG.

Not only that..... people always seem to 'accidentally' forget that the cost of living is much higher in countries where the pay is higher. There is a term 'working poor' that indicates that just because you make more money doesn't mean that you're further ahead financially, emotionally, or spiritually from that overseas job.

Of course, overseas Papua New Guineans, like all other overseas workers, cover up that part. They want to radiate the appearance to their wantoks back home that they made the right decision to go overseas. It would be a horrible shame for them to admit that they're barely able to make ends meet with their full time job!!!!!!!!!!

:-)

If you have the right kind of education form a leading university (e.g., stanford, harvard, exford, columbia, yale etc) and the 'right' profession (invetsment banking, petroleum, agricultural economy, engineering, law, investment & trade, pilots, etc) - and of course speak english well - you can land a lucratic job not only in the US but any place in the western world (as well as in the oil-rich Gulf states); and there'll be no shortage of employers wanting you! the problem is not many of us (yes mi included) are not that globally competitive; we fall short in one or two of these areas, so we settle for any job that comes our way just so that we can project the image back home of a 'successful somebody' living and working overseas (when in fact many wantoks may be working as drivers, primary school teachers, research assistants, contruction/maintenance workers, retirement home employers, hotel bellmen and so forth; for these folks - who are spending up to 75% of their wages on living expenses - it may be time to go home and do something meaningful).

coastal is right on point!

The world has became the so called "Global village" hence qualified PNGans can seek job anywhere in this global village.

It's sad but true, brain trained is real. Unless PNG government improve working condition, otherwise its qualified manpower will seek greener pastures outside.

Obviously for people like you, none of these are the "right kind" of jobs for PNG.

The "right kind of jobs" for PNG are entrepreneur jobs- people who can grow businesses from the bottom up.

Most PNGeans schooled overseas have never received this training. They are totally incapable of starting their own business or even taking a foreign owned business away from the foreign owners and making it into a truly PNG business.

Most PNGeans schooled overseas remain uneducated and ignorant of these skills.

Thats why they go overseas. They want a ready made job, handed to them by masta. They don't want to do any of the work or hard brain power to create such jobs. They want it to be handed to them on a plate.

Just like a dog wants to be handed its food so that it doesn't have to go out and hunt on its own.

Job hunting for the overseas PNGeans is hardly as sophisticated or admirable a skill as is job creation.

YOU KNOW...WHY COMPLAIN ABOUT CRAP THAT GOES ON IN PNG....WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE PNG WHAT IT IS TODAY.
WE ARE THE IDIOTS WHO PUT POLITICIANS IN THEIR PLACE TO SCAB US OF OUR HARD EARNED MONEY.
I AM A TRUE PATRIOT BUT I CANT SIT BY ENDLESSLY AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THINGS THAT I CANT CONTROL.
I TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD AND WORK IN RUSSIA BUT STILL TRAVEL HOME AFTER A MONTH.
I DONT REALLY CARE ANYMORE....AS LONG AS THE GOVERNMENT CANT TAX ME FOR MY K350,000 I EARN PER ANNUM,IM NOT WORRIED.
LIFE IS TO SHORT TO WORRY ABOUT ISSUES THAT YOU CANT CONTROL....IF YOUR REALLY SERIOUS,I SAY, SET UP A FUND,HIRE MERCENARIES AND SNIPE OUT THE PRICKS THAT DISGRACE OUR COUNTRY.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

russia mangi you kam gud

Murdur wont change our country but its a good thought to help us escape realism! =)