U.S. owned Edison Chouest Offshore on Friday afternoon officially opened its office in Guyana under the name ‘G-Boats Incorporated’.
According to the Department of Public Information, more than sixty Guyanese are employed with the company whose vessels supply the operations of ExxonMobil and its partners offshore Guyana.
The company began to supply the local oil and gas industry in January 2016 and has since employed some 67 Guyanese in entry-level positions on vessels as riggers, cooks and oilers with the opportunity for advancement.
There are 10 boats working under the G-Boats name, the DPI reported.
Daniel LaFont, Business Development Manager for Edison Chouest Offshore, on Friday disclosed that there are two Guyanese serving as first mates –positions just below the Captain.
“We are training them to move up … to higher positions. More drilling rigs means more employment,” LaFont noted.
He added that three persons are working in the newly opened office while the company is also looking for other Guyanese to fill positions within the office.
The use of local employees was commended by President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Deodat Indar.
“I’m happy to know that the population of ships … means more jobs for Guyanese and more offshoot of services of services that will be provided by Guyanese,” Indar said.
Director of the Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe in his feature address lauded the new venture as he noted that better days are ahead for Guyana.
“Occasions like these continue to demonstrate the positive strides the country is making as a place for doing business, investors’ confidence and emphasising that the benefits from the oil and gas sector will redound to Guyana and Guyanese,” Dr Bynoe said as quoted by DPI.
Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan officially declared the office open at the corners of Quamina and Carmichael Streets, Georgetown.
Edison Chouest was birthed in Louisiana 58 years ago.
Today, the company has more than 200 vessels worldwide, including offices in Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago and employs some 10,000 persons.
