Salaries

I know I have probably talked about this before, but it is always a nagging issue that makes one wonder why we make the choices we make.

I'm referring to the choice many "brain drainers" made in returning to their home countries. When you return to your home country where ever that maybe, (unless of course your home country is another developed nation) you are in for a lot of suffering and heartache. Now you're suffering in the foreign country as well, but at least you know that you're valued for your suffering.

I don't know if you all recall a few months ago when the media reported the salary of the new Police Commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago. Drum roll everyone - it was reported that the man was going to be paid $166,000 TTD per month. For you foreigners out there that is approximately $27,666 USD PER MONTH. He's only getting that kind of salary because he's white and foreign. If he were black and foreign he'd probably receive $100,000 TTD per month or $16,666.00 USD per month.

Still a large sum of money for a police commissioner. So I bet you foreigners are thinking well the local people must get really huge salaries.

Well guess again!

Let's do the math and you be the judge. On average a government employee (these employees make up a very LARGE percentage of the employed people in the country) at entry level (no degree required) generally gets anywhere from $5000 - $9000 TTD per month. That's approximately $10,000 - $18,000 USD per annum.

Moving one step higher to what is called the "professional" level (a minimum of a bachelor's degree and 3 years working experience); these folks after spending 3 to 4 years getting a degree have to fight up for the wonderful compensation of $9,000 - $13, 000 TTD per month (USD $18,000 - $26,000 per annum).

Now we're moving into the big bucks category where most people will find themselves before moving up to the managerial levels (if they every get the opportunity). Senior Professionals (minimum Master's degree and 5 years working experience) compensation ranges from $13,000 - $15,000 TTD per month (USD $26,000 - $30,000 per annum). Bear in mind that the majority of the population will remain at this level, they may get to about $20,000TTD per month ($40,000 USD per annum), through salary increases however very few will earn more than this in their professional lifetime.

Having been exposed to a developed nation, lived in a developed nation during my formative years, I still find it very hard to adjust to what I call the injustices of the third world society. I, a holder of three degrees (two Master's degrees and a Bachelor's degree) can't make over $40,000 USD per annum in my own home country, when with only a degree and no years experience I was able to command anywhere from $45, 000 to $50,000 USD per annum (equivalent to $22,500 TTD to $25,000 TTD per month).

I consider this kind of compensation nothing other than an injustice, or worse yet an insult; a double slap in the face for all the work you have done.

Now this is just government employment; but I will inform the world that in third world nations rarely is it the case that the private sector pay any better than the government. After all, third world private sectors are SO risk averse I often wonder why they are called private sector.

I have often recommended to my friends overseas living and struggling, to remain there at the least where you live the salary you receive is in line with the cost of living.

In Trinidad although we are paid significantly lower than our contemporaries around the world, we also suffer with an extremely high cost of living and even worse, an inflation rate of 16%.

It is very difficult for someone earning less than $20,000 USD per annum to survive when everything is twice as expensive as it is in the US or Canada. So again let me break it down for the foreigners; if a box of cereal cost $5 USD, in Trinidad it should cost ($5 X 6.39) = $31.95 TTD. However nine out of ten that box of cereal will be closer to $75.00 TTD and when you don't have much choice in the matter we end up buying a $5 USD box of cereal for about $12 USD

The brain drain will continue because while the nation believes in higher education, it certainly does NOT believe in rewarding it.

If you're a young graduate and you want to start your career off getting quality work experience and getting PAID what you're WORTH, then returning to your third world nation is probably not the best option for you, stick it out where ever you are right now.

Think about it!