Haiti & The Loss of Human Capital – Brain Drain

09/08/2019

Haiti & The Loss of Human Capital – Brain Drain By J David Fleurant

Tourism, mineral deposits and precious metals are useful national wealth when managed properly and they benefit not just a few. However, too often we see they can become a curse in poorer nations where corruption is amok. Unfortunately, many governments of less developed countries rely way too much on their physical wealth, natural resources and other assets while neglecting the human potential of their citizenry.

Human capital, especially a hardworking, skilled or trainable workforce is the most valuable national asset a nation can invest in. Point in case, the continent of Africa is the wealthiest region of the planet with the most precious gems, gold, diamond, vast oil reserve yet she is the poorest continent on the planet. Whereas, Japan as standalone country with few natural resources her GDP at 5 trillion is almost twice that of Africa’s 2.5 trillion!

*Brain drain* is when an abnormal portion of a country’s educated, business class, skilled professionals and especially the intelligentsia keep leaving the country for other nations. This phenomenon has been plaguing Haiti for over 200 years, from the inception of her birth in 1804. Haitian historians have noted these upper and middle-class flights after just about every forced of violent change of government (and most have been so.). This exodus phenomenon is also historically a continual phenomenon.

According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the nations of Haïti and Jamaica experience a human capital loss upward to 80%. That’s a massive hit on these small countries when you compare them to India’s only 5%, according to the same study.

Human capital is the most significant asset any nation can have. It’s a proven thing now that vast mineral and natural resources are insignificant and even can doom a nation of people with weak, fractious governance and fleeting human assets. When the cream of a nation keep leaving, foreign interest plunder these resources, and the people in general derive very little economic benefits therefrom. This phenomenon further destabilizes the country. It’s a nasty gift that keeps giving. Point in case, Japan and most European countries have very limited natural and mineral wealth as compared to the continent of Africa, but towers the entire continent in terms of economic might. Now, we know that racism. White supremacist neocolonialism are inextricably and historic cultivation and maintenance of a cadre of corrupt and unpatriotic governments are part of this underdevelopment conundrum. However, the twist is, the legacy of white supremacist colonialism is what historically has established and continues to establish this underdevelopment conundrum in the first place. It’s a complex drama that forces these nations to remain locked in perpetual poverty, social upheaval and political instability. This creates uncertainty and fear that drive people to want to leave the country. Since the educated, business class and upper classes usually have the means; they’re the first ones to flee. It’s a truly well-crafted vicious cycle. It’s also a curse that is extremely hard to break.

Historically, the receiving ends of such losses for Haïti, have usually been the US, France, Canada, the Dominican Republic even Cuba and Mexico.