Reasons for the brain drain
Brain drain is the movement of skilled individuals from a less developed area to a more developed area. Brain drain is the process in which a country loses its most talented people and educated workers to other countries.
Poor working conditions, conflicts, lack of opportunities and lack of high paid jobs are the reasons for brain drain. Our salaries are very low when compared to salaries paid in countries like USA and Australia.
They provide much better medical facilities in those countries. If you fall sick and get admitted to a private hospital, the bill will be several lakhs. You have to sell your house to pay the hospital bill. See the condition in our government hospitals. You become more sick when you go there. The same doctors, the same nurses and the same equipment do a much better job in a private hospital. Whose fault?
Some of the working conditions in some places are extremely poor. Labour Department does not supervise. Does not visit. They do not know what is happening.
Is law and order maintained properly in our country? When we take a bank loan we have to pay in time with interest. When a powerful person takes a bank loan, say 50 million, he will not pay. The bank will write off that loan after several years. Is this justice?
Are all treated equally in our country? See the facilities provided to politicians. See their pension scheme. They go to Singapore for medical treatment. Their children study in Australia. They are provided brand new duty-free luxury cars. Is this equal treatment?
Is law and order maintained properly in our country? When we take a bank loan we have to pay in time with interest. When a powerful person takes a bank loan, say 50 million, he will not pay. The bank will write off that loan after several years. Is this justice?
See education. We say we have free education. Can you send your child to a very good school? Can you send your child to a good university? See the competition. Can we afford private universities? Can we send our child to Australia? These are the reasons for the brain drain. Some of these problems can be easily corrected. It is not happening. Best answer is brain drain.
D. WEERATUNGA
NUGEGODA