Look Homeward First: Hire Our Own to Rebuild the Island

When Prime Minister Dr. Mercelina recently urged that our island needs foreign expertise to move forward, he touched a nerve that deserves honest public scrutiny. I agree that expertise matters, but the reflex to look outward first overlooks a resource we already pay to train: our own people.

Every year we send more than 100 students overseas for advanced study. Many return with degrees, skills and a commitment to this place. Others stay away for lack of opportunity. Which outcome would you prefer? Investing in returning talent, or importing it and watching the economic benefit flow elsewhere?

It’s not hypothetical. In recent years we’ve seen top posts filled by outsiders: TelEm’s CFO from Curaçao and its COO from Trinidad; GEBE’s CEO and CFO from the Netherlands and a Trinidadian IT manager; PJIA led by a 67yearold retiree.

Several government contracts have also gone to foreign firms that, in many cases, could have been awarded to qualified resident companies. By “local” I mean anyone who has lived here for at least ten years, people who pay taxes, raise families and invest in community life.

Granting high-level roles and contracts to non-residents has consequences. Dollars paid to foreign executives and companies are less likely to circulate here. Local firms miss growth opportunities, job creation is stifled, and young professionals watching from abroad see fewer reasons to return. In short, outsourcing leadership and work weakens the very economy we seek to build.

This is not anti-foreign; international expertise can complement domestic talent. But the government should adopt a clear priority: where qualified residents exist, give them first shot. Practical steps include: requirement of public searches that prioritize residents, residency-weighted scoring on public tenders, return-and-retain incentives for graduates, and leadership-development programs inside public agencies so vacancies are filled from within.

Dr. Mercelina and the Cabinet Office should also make transparent the criteria for hiring and contracting, and publish efforts to recruit and reintegrate locally trained professionals. Doing so will recirculate public money, strengthen local firms, and show the next generation that returning home can be a viable, rewarding path.

If we want students to come back and stay, start by giving them the jobs and opportunities they were trained for. Look homeward first — our future depends on it.

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