To leave or not to leave

The question of leaving these shores is one that the majority of Guyanese have had to face at least once in their life. For those with the means and will, putting Guyana in their rear view mirrors is all but certain. A casual look around our country, its state and the way its citizens are treated, and it is not hard to see why. Poverty, lack of opportunities that pay living wages rather than struggle ones, and an environment that is detrimental to growth, are just a few of the things that contribute toward the mass exodus. While it has long been common knowledge that more Guyanese live outside of these shores than in it, this was again recently confirmed with a report from Forbes Magazine. The Forbes report revealed that Guyana has one of the largest diaspora populations per capita when compared to the rest of the world. Out of all sovereign countries with at least 750,000 inhabitants, Guyana had the biggest share of its native-born population—36.4%—living abroad. More than 80% of Guyanese with tertiary education, up and leave, giving us a brain drain index point of 8.1. For context, the world average is 5.21.

Over the past few months, I have been a part of, or bore witness to conversations with Guyanese professionals about their work. These are people who are skilled, educated and have committed to serving their country and giving back as much as they can. The common theme that comes up in these conversations is leaving the only place that they have called home. People largely do not see a future here, at least not a future worth living. Some have actively begun working on leaving, while others continue to toy around with the idea and its practicalities. Their reasons for wanting to leave are very similar, and as a young professional who faces much of the same challenges, I relate and empathise. I am also asked whether I would leave Guyana. A few years ago, my answer was certain, no, this is home. I would rather contribute towards my country’s growth rather than contribute toward the growth of another. But now when I answer the question, I am less certain. For now I say, I am not looking to leave, but I cannot deny the limitations that I have faced caused by country specific factors.

There is a pervasive myth of the West that persists in developing countries such as ours that prioritises the ABC countries as being a mecca of good living and vast opportunities. It is a largely oversold dream as many quickly realise when they touch those shores. However, there is no denying that compared to Guyana, there are immense opportunities for professionals to tap into. One of the largest pull factors is the higher rates of pay that are available in other countries. Our wages come up dismally low while our cost of living is neck and neck with countries that are considered developed. I think of when in 2020, a young professional was highlighted for receiving a “super salary.” The super salary in question was approximately GYD$325,000 (USD$1500). The fact that this is considered a super salary says a lot about the way our labour and skills are valued in the country. It also portrays the level of toxicity that permeates professional spaces. Guyana truly is a small pond with big fishes, and these big fishes are so insecure in themselves and the positions they hold (which are often gained through nepotism), that they actively limit the growth of others who they view as competition. So in addition to low stagnant wages, you also have to deal with navigating a professional space that is intent on keeping you from expanding. Giving back and staying to build your country is very hard when you are being fought and stalled at every point.

There has been a lot of talk about trainings, keeping our professionals here, and encouraging an increase in remigrants, but none of this matters if fundamental changes are not made as it relates to wages, our fight down environment, and poor standard of living. Our professionals want opportunities to grow and thrive, and opportunities here can be rare, unless of course you have a solid links system. It is highly unlikely that Guyana’s high migration rate will decrease for the foreseeable future, because the reality is that for many, it can feel like an incredibly stagnant place.