Local content being stymied by foreign companies that flood market with summits, exhibition – O&G Energy Chamber

See below full statement issued by the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber:

The President of The Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) Mr Manniram Prashad is concerned that its efforts to promote local content is being stymied by foreign companies invading the Guyanese market with all kinds of summits and exhibition.

Participating companies are required to sponsor or attend at exorbitant prices and all these monies are taken out of the local economy. In some cases, a pittance is given if, any, to the local collaborators and the bulk of the profits goes out of Guyana with little or no benefit to Guyanese.

It is also observed that there seems to be an attempt to divide and exploit some local private sector groups with speaking slots as an incentive to add their name to the events.

As far as I am aware the Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown of  Chamber and industry have not added their name to the GIPEX 2021 Conference in June.

The Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber is definitely not participating in this GIPEX summit.  Our membership is committed to local content in the interest of all Guyanese especially the poor and vulnerable.

The Guyanese Private Sector is capable of promoting its own summit and exhibition and we should encourage local content. The operators and all the subcontractors should make every effort to assist and work with the Guyanese Private sector to advance and promote all future summits and conference.

I am happy that I have not seen the key players name in our oil industry attached to these anti local content activities.

We call on all players in the oil and gas industry to support local content and avoid these carpetbaggers

Manniram Prashad

May 19, 2021