OFFICIALS from ExxonMobil met last Friday with Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman to share ideas on plans for local content development in Guyana.

Also at the meeting were staff of the Petroleum Directorate, among them Mr. Nicholas Chuck-a-Sang, Ms. Joanna Homer, Ms. Zola Williams.

The ExxonMobil contingent included Country Manager, Rod Henson; Senior Director, Public and Government Affairs, Kimberly Brasington; Director, Government Affairs, Carlton James; and Socio-economic Advisor, Treacy Roberts.

During the meeting, the ministerial team was updated on ExxonMobil’s workforce development and capacity building activities that are currently underway. These activities include internship and training opportunities, and facilitating the participation of Guyanese in workshops locally and internationally.

Guyanese have also begun to benefit from training and employment opportunities available on the Stena Caron vessel, as well as with ExxonMobil suppliers, among them Geolog, Hornbeck, TechnipFMC, and El Dorado Offshore, which is a local company. Engagements with the University of Guyana have also been initiated.

According to a release form the Ministry of Natural Resources, officials also shared that as development of the Liza 1 progresses, opportunities are becoming available for Guyanese companies to supply goods and services through tenders that are currently open, or will become available.

Businesses will also be able to access training from ExxonMobil’s Center for Local Business Development, which is to be launched some time this month, in collaboration with Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED).

The company is reportedly expanding its internal capacity with the addition of Socio-economic Advisor, Treacy Roberts, who will join ExxonMobil in August and have specific responsibility for coordinating the company’s local content efforts, and monitoring the activities of all ExxonMobil suppliers to ensure that they comply with local content requirements.

Exxonmobil and its partners, Hess and CNOOC Nexen, will be submitting a detailed local content plan by December, 2017.

Minister Trotman expressed his appreciation for the efforts that have begun, and noted that it infuses a sense of confidence that the company is committed to honouring its obligations to Guyana.

The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Natural Resources, continues to advance efforts to ensure that Guyanese will derive maximum benefit through local content development efforts.