by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert
They leave the Caribbean for a reason. Not because of a lack of love for home, but to pursue growth. They want to learn more, see more, become more. They earn degrees, skills, networks, and experience that the world respects. They prove themselves in foreign systems that don’t realize their real worth. Because ultimately there is one place where everything they’ve learned matters more than anywhere else, back home.
Here, their talent can be amplified and thrive, sparking change and introducing new ideas. The Caribbean needs them to return now, so they can build what isn’t possible elsewhere, apply their experience, and create opportunities for themselves, their families, and their island. They can be the person they left to become. They can develop the things they once wished existed. The world prepared them; the Caribbean awaits their impact not someday, but today.
The Caribbean produces world-class talent, but exports it for free. The region is not short of talent. It is short of the systems that let talent shine. The problem is not the students. It may be the curriculum. It could not just change their life. It can change the future of the Caribbean. The region is at a moment where a new kind of higher‑learning institution could become a magnet for local talent, diaspora returnees, and international students who want something they can’t get anywhere else.
The region needs systems that match its children’s brilliance and potential. The Caribbean doesn’t lack genius talent. It lacks the environment to unleash and foster it. The region needs something categorically different, that fills the gaps that other institutions don’t touch. With rapid global change, stronger, more innovative institutions are essential—perhaps a Pan‑Caribbean Applied Sciences & Innovation Institute to fill these critical spaces.
Nations that invest in research grow three times faster than those that do not. The Caribbean should create Research and Development (R&D) institutes and laboratories. The Caribbean, is strategically important but is the most under-researched and under-innovated region. It should establish R&D institutes to drive transformation and prosperity. It is not a luxury, it’s a regional survival strategy and of global relevance. It is not just about science; it is the armament that changes the region’s destiny.
Brain drain is a major issue for the region, causing a loss of talent and leadership. Instead of sending its brightest minds abroad, the region should focus on building research industries. The next billion-dollar Caribbean Industry Isn’t tourism. It’s research. With proper labs, the local talent of the region could make a global impact.
R&D institutes help local industries innovate, shifting regions from importing solutions to creating their own. Establishing these centers encourages diaspora engagement and reduces reliance on tourism by diversifying the economy. It may be the single most transformative step to be taken.
Research and Development serves as a profit center, driving Caribbean technology development, attracting international partners, and creating skilled jobs. It can reduce vulnerability; each hurricane season costs billions, but research could cut losses by half. Relying on imports often delays local innovation and fails to address unique island needs.
Many students who go abroad do not return, not just for better jobs or higher pay, but because their home region often lacks industries, job openings, or research environments in their fields. They stay where their qualifications are valued, with stronger industries, more funding, advanced technology, and supportive networks. Foreign universities offer better technology, networks, and research culture. This region lacks the labs or R&D centers found overseas.
Also, mind the social integration abroad. During several years of study, they build friendships and form relationships. Returning may become emotionally and socially difficult.
Students who pursue degrees abroad are encouraged to return home not solely out of obligation, but to assume leadership roles. Their decision to come back should be driven by readiness and ambition. By ensuring that returning is appealing, and by providing graduates with meaningful and irresistible opportunities that motivate them to contribute upon their return.
The message to them is: “You leave the Caribbean to study; you don’t leave because you stopped loving home. You leave because you want to grow. Your island needs what the world teaches you and prepares you for. It needs you to return because you can build what only you can build and it may be something here that you could never build anywhere else. When you have grown. You’ve earned skills, networks, and experience that most people only dream of, there is one place where those skills matter more than anywhere else on Earth. Home.”
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Cdr. Bud Slabbaert, I am reminded of a book by Earl Lovelace, the dragon can’t dance, where he pointed out we need to start seeing the Caribbean as home. Too many, born here, look to places like the US, as home. We are willing to make sacrifices in those places that we would not make in our islands (eg the hours persons are willing to work in NA). Places like the US are now making it clear that they see no value in non white persons. They state they are browning their once white population and this cannot be allowed. Do you continue in a place where you are not wanted? Focus needs to be placed on building treasures in our Caribbean region
Adekunle Gold, a afrobeat singer, has a song “IRE” about the false idea that the grass is greener on the other side (ie in places like NA, UK). He ends by saying the grass is greener when you water the ground see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n6PP_At3BY&list=RD1n6PP_At3BY&start_radio=1
When Gaston Browne is eventually voted 🗳 out of office many overseas Antiguans will return to home; and also don’t forget the unrest that Trump’s racist policies and behavior will also make educated people of colour return to their homelands.
Hopefully, the current trickle of returnees will open up the floodgates once Browne is gone.
Dear Lord hear our prayers 🙏🏾
I’ve never read such bullshit in the last 20 years
Please change your position and go back to cut the grass and wash cars
@Brixtonian. I don’t remember Antiguans returning home in their thousands when the UPP were running the country from 2004 to 2014.🤔
There will be no returning flood of Antiguans no matter WHO is in government. You know that. The fact of the matter is, the quality of life is better, schools are better, the salaries are a LOT better, etc. in the US, UK and Canada and Browne leaving will have no effect on that. Brain drain and the pursuit of happiness are real.
@To […], it seems you don’t get out very much.
Antigua has a very vibrant and active set of well educated Antiguan returnees; not only from European countries, but from the US as well.
Many may be retirees, but have returned with their skill sets, and small, medium and large business to help boost our economy.
As I opined earlier … you must get out and mix a lot more than you do at present 👍🏾
@Brixtonian, to the contrary, I get out i.e. travel often, so your attempt at deflection is a poor one albeit predictable since you seem to be grasping at straws recently with your desperate, unhinged opinions. You are a frequent, daily commentator on a small website and you are trying to tell ME to get out more?🤣. Pot, kettle, black!
You must be kidding, Antigua’s retirees from overseas are doing little to nothing to boost the economy and I don’t blame them. What an absolutely dumb comment but you know that. Your non-stop disinformation campaign might fool a handful of gullible, uneducated Antiguans that visit this website but more than that, as a narcissist, your frequent comments here prove unequivocally that YOU don’t get out very much😉. Nice try…🖕🏿
Ahhhhh, are you an ABLP politician using a pseudonym as a disguise? The tone of both your responses suggests so.
Also, you political clown 🤡 I stand by what I say, and you can take comfort by shooting the messenger instead of holding this ABLP government to account for their plethora of mistakes that just keeps getting worse and worse ad infinitum.
You ain’t fooling anyone with your one-sided myopic stance with this terrible government. But hey, like the rest of us living in a vibrant democracy, you are entitled to your opinions. Tek dat!!!
Oh, by the way, my passive income allows me to comment from home, work and abroad. Swallow dat one!
Over to you fooling, me ready as always …
*fool*
@Tenman
Corruption, bureaucracy and incompetence enables people like you to thrive.
I’d rather work three jobs in the US than one in your world of nepotism and corruption.
Unlike you; I don’t need to be in the South like Texas and them places. So my experience in America is different from yours.
After you get your illegal work study from the US you return to glow in your Nepo baby life.
@ Brixtonian Be aware this site is technically compromised
LMAO🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Brixy pooh crashing out in the comments just because someone clocked his behind pointing out his hypocrisy!!!!
Man up Birxy the man read you to the filth and as usual ypu resort to the same dry script that the person is an ABLP supporter and oh how brilliant you are and all the jazzz🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😋🤣🤣🤣🤣
The truth really hurts and fr Brixy sapzzing out show just how butt hurt he is🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yes, all the signs of grandiose narcissistic personality disorder are there, clear as day. ABLP politician… LMAO!🤣. My tone…😂. Grasping at straws again…
It shouldn’t be so challenging to govern a twin island state of 95,000 people but I say again, brain drain is real. My recommendation to you… Embrace the suck. Does that sound like a phrase an ABLP politician would use or even understand?!🤔
Like you, my life allows me to live in more than one country but unlike you, I don’t spend everyday doomscrolling through article after article on this website, commenting incessantly like a hyperactive crystal meth addict with a superiority complex.
Nice try again pseudy, but if “trying” to take me on make you happy, then keep on, while UPP supporters like me will continue a change in governance and a better Antigua … my shoulders are broader than broad!
Gaston Browne and the ABLP are hurting the hardworking citizens through the rising cost of living and rising crimes (which I note you haven’t mentioned in your diatribe).
And you worry more about the messenger(s)?
My words for as long as I can remember, always brings out the politically ignorant and the untutored.
And again, you prove my point. Broad shoulders my ass! More like a miserable keyboard warrior who has all kinds of free time on his hands with nothing better to do than obsessively read this site and respond to EVERY post and comment about the government. Your desperate plea for attention is another symptom of your NPD.
Where in the world doesn’t have a rising cost of living and crimes these days? You think Antigua is some isolated Shangri-la or Garden of Eden? There isn’t a rising cost of living and crime in St. Kitts, Barbados, New York or Toronto? Have you been living under a rock or are you that deluded? Well, if you believe that I’m an ABLP politician using a pseudonym then you will likely believe anything. What about the Loch Ness Monster? The Yeti? Bigfoot?🤔
I don’t worry about a thing Brix or is it shtick? You should change your name to Shticktonian since your whole act is comedy, a humorous gimmick. And if you consider yourself a messenger🤣 then once again, that confirms your NPD. Do you really think that your words are actually influencing anyone? Don’t be silly. Your reach on this site is limited to a handful of people so at your rare best, your responses are comic relief but at your typical worse, it’s your mental health steadily declining on a downward spiral for everyone to see.
Zzzzzzzzz 😴 it’s getting boring now pseudonym.
I did try to read all of what you were saying, but my word, to tell you the truth, there are more important matters afoot in Antigua & Barbuda, like enlightening fellow critical thinking Antiguans (unlike yourself) to hold this out of sorts and out of touch government to resolve the growing crime rates; the high cost of living crisis (and resolving price gouging), and the plethora of ongoing problems.
What is it that your small cranium doesn’t comprehend?
As I said previously, my words are just words, but Browne’s policies are causing ACTUAL harm to the hardworking citizens of this great country of ours.
Nice try at deflection from the ills of the country caused by the ABLP and your “cult” hero Gaston Browne. 👍🏾
I bet people tend to avoid you at parties 🤣
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