By Theresa Goodwin
Antigua and Barbuda and a number of other countries in the region have ranked among the top 50 on a new human flight and brain drain index, with Jamaica being the highest on the list of 177 countries compiled by research site TheGlobalEconomy.com.
The Human flight and brain drain indicator considers the economic impact of human displacement, for economic or political reasons, and the consequences this may have on a country’s development. The higher the index, the greater the human displacement.
The countries on the index are ranked based on data gathered between 2007 and 2022, with zero being the lowest score and 10 being the highest.
Jamaica scored, 9.2, Haiti 8.2, Guyana (8.1), Grenada 7.4, and Trinidad and Tobago 6.9 which is considered higher ranking.
Antigua and Barbuda is considered to be on the lower tier scoring 6, along with Cuba 5.6, and Belize 5.2.
The least affected Caribbean Island by brain drain is The Bahamas, which received a score of 4.3 index points and a placement of 120.
“The higher the index, the greater the human displacement,” the Global Economy said, adding that its “indicator considers the economic impact of human displacement (for economic or political reasons) and the consequences this may have on a country’s development”.
The data used to arrive at the final index point is collected from central banks, national authorities, the World Bank, United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF), among other agencies, the site said.
In Antigua and Barbuda, nurses, in particular, have been complaining about brain drain and have been calling on the government to put measures in place to retain healthcare workers who provide critical services to members of the public.