Antigua PM says surplus skilled workers could be exported, citing nurses as example
Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda will continue to expand training for nurses and other skilled workers, even if it means producing more graduates than the country can employ, arguing that surplus labor can be exported overseas.
Browne made the comments on his weekly Browne and Browne Show, describing the approach as part of his government’s long-term strategy to raise education and skill levels across the population.
“I’m of the view that if we have to export nurses, so be it. Because… the remittances, most of them will probably retire back here, build their luxury homes and so on. I mean, give people an option. So rather than staying ignorant and uneducated, give them an opportunity to learn a trade, to learn a skill, to get a degree. And if you have surplus labor and we have to export, well, so be it,” Browne said.
He said the government has already made a policy decision to train as many nurses as possible, including under U.S. Title IV arrangements, which allow Antiguan students to access American federal aid. Browne added that surplus nurses could serve abroad while others could contribute to Antigua’s tourism sector by providing specialized care to visitors.
The prime minister also pushed back against critics questioning what the government will do with so many graduates. He said a society with too many skilled people is far better than one without enough.
“I’d rather have an abundance of skilled and qualified people than an abundance of ignorant people in my society. So there’s nothing to lose,” he said.
Browne compared the idea to Cuba’s model of training nurses and exporting them through rotational programs, saying such a system could bring economic benefits through remittances while ensuring that many eventually return home with experience and resources.
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