Isles’ youths often leave, so try to assist their return
Boy, we’ve been worried about brain drain for a really long time.
This week Gov. David Ige told members of the Hawaii Venture Capital Association that he will request $10 million to build the innovation sector of the economy and create more job opportunities.
“We all know the story of our children going away to college and never coming back,” Ige said. “It’s about stopping that brain drain.”
This promise by Hawaii politicians goes back for at least as long as Hawaii has been a state. One example: a 1959 campaign speech for Jimmie Kealoha, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
“Jimmie Kealoha is distressed that every year, hundreds of young people who are graduated from our schools are finding it necessary to leave their home islands to go either to Oahu or to the United States Mainland in search of permanent employment and opportunity. Most of these youngsters would like to be able to build their futures right here at home. But they cannot if they can’t find work.”
(BTW, that was a speech on Jimmie’s behalf. He wasn’t speaking in third person, which would be weird and kind of funny. He ended up winning and was Gov. William Quinn’s lieutenant governor, the first LG in Hawaii.)
No one would ever argue against providing meaningful, challenging, well-paying opportunities in Hawaii, but there are worse things than leaving home to pursue opportunities — like wanting to leave and, because of lack of support or lack of gumption or crushing filial obligations, not being able to go.
Know what song Hawaii kids are singing right now, right this moment? At the top of their lungs and with full commitment, Hawaii’s keiki are belting out the lyrics of the “Moana” anthem “How Far I’ll Go,” and guess what? Moana has a serious case of curiosity and wanderlust.
“I know everybody on this island seems so happy on this island.
Everything is by design.
I know everybody on this island has a role on this island.
So maybe I can roll with mine.”
If those lyrics don’t kick you in the gut, then you have lived a blessed life untouched by the terrible pull between ambition and inertia. Poor Moana, she spends half the song trying unsuccessfully to talk herself out of going while everyone demands she stay home.
“See the light where the sky meets the sea
It calls me
And no one knows how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I’ll know
How far I’ll go”
If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s not spoiling anything to say that Moana ends up fulfilling both her quest and her responsibilities to her island.
But that’s one of the great things about Disney movies: The hero gets to be happy in the end. Real life isn’t always so satisfying. But offering talented Hawaii people a choice to come home if they want to, that continues to be a heroic quest.
Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.
18 responses to “Isles’ youths often leave, so try to assist their return”
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‘Movers and shakers’ locally!
Ige does not have a clue hon. He has never had to make a payroll. The monopoly party is totally responsible for the misery so many feel regaRDING lifestyle and the deterioration of living standards. The brain drain issue is more complicated than Ige is saying. People are free to get up and leave for better circumstances at any time. More power to them. The mainland has far more diversity and opportunity. It is understandable that many would choose to leave. Hawaii is an export economy after all.
I arrived in Hawaii in March of 1979 with a suitcase, a backpack, and a cardboard box. (of course, I also arrived with a Berkeley education which was a really big deal.) It wasn’t easy but Hawaii has been really good to us. We were able to have rewarding careers, buy a house that will be paid off in about nine months, make friends, serve our community. It was the best decision I ever made and I don’t regret it for a moment. Thank you Hawaii.
(and unlike a lot of Mainland real estate, our house is worth about 2.5 times what we paid for it.)
You get it, Cellodad. I’m glad you moved here.
Cellodad, Hawaii is either your place, or it’s not. I stepped off the plane in 1968, took one look around, and knew I’d never leave. I was never easy, but it was always worth it.
I left a year after graduation for a better life,job, and 40 years later i’m retired nice income, nice house on 5 acres and do not regret a single day. Sure it would have been nice to be able to live at home but it was not possible. I see my classmates still struggling daily with very little income still working and no retirement in the near future. Very sad.
And why would they not want to leave. No parks to play no clean ocean water to swim anymore. Just a big pile of cement the whole island has become. The Caldwell kind. Their parents and grandparents have been very poor stewards of the aina and the aloha spirit is on life support. What you can find on Oahu you can find in any lousy mainland city, for cheaper. So expect them to want to leave. Their spot will be taken by outsiders with bad intentions. And pretty soon it wont matter anymore.
Totally agree and wish I had done the same years ago. Money may not be everything but it sure makes things a lot easier and the mainland certainly provides more bang for the buck.
islandsun, despite your bright username, it seems you live in a dark place, unlike me and hundreds of thousands of other Hawaii residents and visitors.
If you want to leave, go. If you think any lousy city has as much to offer as Hawaii, then move to New Orleans, Chicago, Oakland. You’ll be happy there. With the exception of my 3 years in Viet Nam, I’ve been home and don’t regret it. I’ve had two wonderful careers, raised my kids here amongst family. I like it here. If you don’t, islandsun and others, you’re free to leave. It’s a free country.
I’m going to agree with you on this one, RetiredWorking. Lots of people, all over the country, leave home and settle elsewhere. Hawaii is no different. Now, it’s true that our costs of living make it hard to move back after college, but it’s sure not impossible. Plenty of kids do it – plenty. I don’t know what percentage of returnees all of these “brain drain” complainers are aiming for, but they need to look around at the many smart and able people who end up coming back and making their lives here. True, many have to work very hard to make it, but if they want to live in Hawaii, that’s what they choose to do. Maybe the ones who choose to stay away prefer money over other aspects? In that case, fine, but I’m not going to say let’s make an effort so they can make big bucks back here.
I disagree. People (educated) move away cause they feel that the types ob ar careers they are trained for pays better somewhere else. And this is reality and we all have to live in reality I don’t see mariota parents or himself complaining why can’t he be employed here in Hawaii Orin California Denver etc-gotta go where there is employment for you. Until wages are inparity(same wherever you are hired) we have to make choices like cost of living-it is very high here in Hawaii -so if we choose to reside here we have to live as such.
WE have beautiful weather most of the time, good food (matter of opinion) and nice people (though it’s changing). We also have expensive housing and overall high cost of goods. So, it’s really a trade off. If you don’t mind the latter, then staying in Hawaii is fine. Some call it “The Price of Paradise.” The mainland offers greater opportunities and much lower cost of living in most areas, but people may not be as nice, and weather will likely be much more extreme. Each person must decide for himself.
If I needed brain surgery & my neurosurgeon spoke in pidgin English…. I would leave.
Unfortunately most doctors here must speak pidgin just in order to communicate with most of Hawaii’s locals.
Hawaii had a doctor shortage and trouble recruiting and retaining doctors from elsewhere. Local medical students and residents doctors are more likely to stay. These are high-paying jobs that contribute to the economy and improve health. On average, 10 good recession-proof healthcare jobs with living wages are created for every additional physician in Hawaii. Money is brought into the economy from Medicare, Medicaid, VA, Tricare and Federal employee insurance programs and it circulates locally.
Hawaii should be committed to training more local doctors, but the state wouldn’t even spend money to get 4 to 1 matching federal funds for medical school loan repayment incentives.
Unlike these high-tech and film industry give aways that come and go producing few good long term jobs, supporting local students to be doctors returns benefits that can last for an entire 40-59 year career.
For more information, check out the Hawaii Areae Heslth Education Center (AHEC) at:
http://www.ahec.hawaii.edu
“Hawaii HAS a doctor shortage and trouble recruiting…”
“benefits that can last for an entire 40-50 year career”