GOGEC encouraged by efforts to push local content

(Statement by the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber)

President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) Manniram Prashad welcomes the statement made by Exxon Country Manager Alistair Routledge that by next year most of the services used from Trinidad and Tobago will be sourced locally, hence reinforcing the continuous representations by GOGEC for Guyanese to be employed and be engaged at all levels in the Oil and Gas industry.

We are happy that the government is listening and supporting our calls for local content as we anxiously await the final draft of the bill.

The bill must also take into account our capabilities to deliver and what effect it would have on other industries who would have trained staff at considerable expense only to lose them to operators who can pay more and also if they are compelled by legislation.

GOGEC is happy with its relationship with the government and the encouragement given when it launched its training centre recently with Ministers Vickram Bharrat and Deodat Indar as they reiterated the importance of having trained Guyanese support our local content drive.

We are also happy that Exxon Mobil previous comments indicating their commitment to local content is being realised.