And in other news, yesterday we told you that 66 Belizean students received Taiwanese scholarships this year, a record breaking number. And if all 66 students were to return to Belize, then the development of the country would look bright. But chances are, many of them won't, opting instead to remain in Taiwan for multiple reasons, but predominantly because of more opportunities and a higher pay scale.
It's an alarming phenomena that the government has taken notice of, especially since they promote the scholarships for the specific reason that the students will come back and build Belize.
And today the Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that they're trying to work with the Taiwanese government to combat this problem. But in the meantime, they're appealing to students abroad to come back home.
Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Now, these scholarships, the students are not bonded, that's the first point. Secondly, for us, we would prefer if they come back but it is their right to remain there. Some of them get scholarships to do more studies, some of them get married or have relationships and remain there and then of course, and this is the bigger problem for us, those who get jobs. When I say it's a problem, it's a problem because these are the best and brightest of Belize, these are people who are getting first class university degrees and we really need every Belizean to come home and to build Belize. Now, I have spoken to some of the students, or some of the graduates, and they said there are no jobs in Belize for me at the salary that I can get in Taiwan. That's true, but if they don't come back, if they don't come and help to develop, then the next generation will have the same argument. When I came back many years ago, the amount of money, the quality of law that was practiced was at a certain level, but by every year, more and more lawyers coming back, the whole business and the profession improves. So general concern of the government is to cooperate with the government of Taiwan to ensure that even if a Belizean wants to stay in Taiwan, for example, because they got a job, that a limited is allowed for them to stay so they come back to Belize and contribute to the development. Let me just close off by saying this, there is no intention of the government of Belize to force anybody to come back. You got a scholarship, you earned that, and if the circumstances of your particular case is that you stay there, we respect that, but we are making an appeal to Belizeans, particularly those who go to Taiwan because it's a program that is promoted by the government, to come back and help build Belize."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you feel like the Taiwanese government will be willing to work with you because, I mean, in a way, their country is being built up as well."
Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"That's the point we are making to them, that they are educating our Belizeans and allowed them to stay there, allowing them to get jobs to build their country. And that's not really the objective of the program, the program is to make a scholarship available to a Belizean who will hopefully come back."
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