As the number of Jamaicans applying for Caribbean Community (CARICOM) skills certificates to work in other member states increases, member bodies representing these skills say there is nothing astonishing about the trend at this time.

Late last month, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security reported that the number of Jamaicans applying for CARICOM skills certificates had surpassed other regional territories.

According to data from the ministry, more Jamaican accountants were applying for skills certificates as compared to other areas.

But Leighton McKnight, president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ), said the data was not suarprising.

"The reality now is that because we are on a global platform for international financial reporting standards, compared to some 10 years ago, accountants are much more marketable across borders," he said.

Movement

The ICAJ president said that, for the last three years, there has been a lot of movement to North American countries, The Cayman Islands and The Bahamas.

"Now you are going to see more (migration) to Barbados and Antigua, it is a concern, but I think the only thing we can do is train more," he said. "I am not surprised, I know people are looking around."

He added that Barbados, St. Lucia and Antigua are countries to watch.

But while more accountants are applying to migrate to other member states, more doctors and teachers have been applying for skills certificates to work in Jamaica.

Dr. Myrton Smith, president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association, said the increase could be a result of the postgraduate programmes offered by Jamaica.

More vacancies

"Quite a few of them do in fact go back home," he said. "Yes, there will be some having come here, would want to stay, which is inevitable considering we have more vacancies than the other islands," he said.

Dr. Smith stressed that Jamaica still had more room for doctors, falling below the World Health Organisation requirement of one doctor per 1,000 of the population. According to him, Jamaica currently has one doctor to 1,200 of the population.

Meanwhile Hopeton Henry, president of the Jamaica Teachers Association, said various schools have received applicantions from other member states for vacancies advertised.

"This is not happening in droves ... not in large quantities that will be of cause for concern," he said.