Southern African Migration Project (SAMP)



Zimbabwe May 2006
Systematic labour exports helpful, (Herald, 2006-05-11):-The current random migration of labour to foreign markets has not directly benefited the Government, especially in terms of revenue and foreign currency earnings. Government — through subsidies in education and training — is indirectly investing in human capital for the benefit of other nations whose labour markets are enticing personnel out of the country. The Southern African Migration Project notes that it is difficult to "obtain brain drain statistics that are accurate, reliable, comparable and detailed. At the same time, a seemingly precise figure of 479 348 Zimbabweans is advanced as the total number of Zimbabweans outside the country". This figure has since been surpassed judging by the growing trend of migration from the country by the day. Although there are certain risks involved, the nation should seriously consider turning the subsequent brain drain by such migration into a "brain gain". One obvious way of doing this is by systematically exporting labour to chosen markets in foreign countries. What is crucial is a system that ensures such labour outflows are structurally regulated and monitored. Zimbabwe would not be the first country to embark on a systematic labour export system. Countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Bangladesh are benefiting from the systematic export of labour. Analysts argue that the Philippines’ migrant workers in high-come countries’ annual remittances exceed official aid and foreign direct investment. Sometimes the remittances reportedly go as high as 12 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. The Smith regime used to export black labour for exploitation in South African mines during the apartheid era. While blacks suffered, the Government benefited. In independent Zimbabwe, the system should ensure that both the worker and the nation benefit. Systematic export of labour gives the country more authority over migrant workers because their work would be brought under Government’s jurisdiction. It would also see greater protection of migrant workers from this country. There are many cases reported from countries such as the UK where Zimbabwean workers are subjected to harsh working conditions and closer home there are cases of Zimbabweans being flogged in Botswana. In such cases, Government would have more power to intervene on behalf of the worker under international labour laws and the agreed principles of respective contracts. Moreover, the Government would be in a position to send workers to countries it enjoys cordial relations with. This would minimise the public outcry over the denting of the country’s image by migrant workers. The workers would follow laid down codes of conduct that ensure the country’s good image remains intact. It would also be hard for foreign nations to use Zimbabwean migrant workers for political agendas. To encourage investment and direct currency remittances, migrant workers need incentives such as investment programmes, a favourable exchange rate and loans at reasonable interest. Temporary work permits, running to three years for instance, would also encourage people to invest at home because they would know that returning would be inevitable. One of the worst disadvantages of labour export is that migration usually does little to create jobs at home. This can be partly minimised or overcome by setting up good programmes that enable the workers abroad to embark on SMEs and other types of macro-investment activity. In times of crisis or when certain basic commodities are hard to come by in the country, the migrant workers can be encouraged to export such goods to their countries of origin at lower import duty rates. For example, during drought periods they can bring in grain into the country. Controlled labour export also checks the de-skilling of the country’s personnel. A person would go abroad to do the work that he is trained for. The current scenario is a sad story where a lawyer can be found sweeping the streets in London. Five years of doing that, the skills of his profession are gone. Women would also be protected from being sexually debased because they won’t be tempted to become commercial sex workers to survive in foreign lands. Government can also check where the skills are needed and if possible, labour export in such areas would be minimised. In feasible cases, personnel barter with other countries can be arranged. For example teachers can be swapped for doctors. Such moves would be attempts to ensure that deprivation of skills at home is minimised. If there are exchange programmes for students or swaps in sports such as soccer, why not in professional fields? Government would have to create a board to implement the systematic export of labour. If agencies come into the picture, only licenced indigenous ones should be allowed to find markets for would-be migrant workers and to collect tax from them on behalf of Government. Workers should go on a rotational basis so that those who are recalled after the expiry of their contracts would not while up time doing nothing waiting to go back. Systematic export of labour does not only benefit Government through remittances but it also gives Government peace of mind as they would know who is where and doing what.
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp