–Dr. Singh says BPO sector has potential to spur economic activity, improve lives

BUSINESS Process Outsourcing (BPO) company, Teleperformance, has created jobs for close to 1,000 Guyanese since it opened its doors in Guyana in 2017, and plans to increase that number to 1,200 by the end of this year.

According to a press statement from the Ministry of Finance, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh learnt of the company’s contributions to the local economy during a tour of its Camp Street facility on Monday.

The minister, who was accompanied by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, engaged Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Teleperformance, Luis Barreto, and spoke of the potential that Guyana has for BPO companies.

Discussions also surrounded the company’s plans for expansion, as well as ways in which the government could lend its support to allow for this.
The facility currently employs approximately 950 persons, fifty per cent of whom work from within the facility, and the remainder from their houses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the tour, Dr. Singh lauded the efforts of the business’s founder, who saw the potential for investment in Guyana, and commenced operations here in 2017.

The business, even now amid the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, has continued to enable the employment of hundreds of Guyanese, including young persons and single-parents.

Minister Singh encouraged the business to strive to continue to assist in the development of the country through job-creation, noting that the government would also support any measure it takes to expand to other regions of the country.

The minister alluded to the number of persons who travel from elsewhere in the country to work in Georgetown, and suggested that businesses expanding to other areas is always welcomed by communities, as employees and other job-seekers usually prefer employment in close proximity to their homes.
“Teleperformance is one of the largest BPOs worldwide, with a phenomenal global footprint operating in literally every single continent of the world, with an almost universal coverage… So, Teleperformance is exactly the kind of company that when we initiated our work in introducing BPO operations and attracting BPO investors into Guyana, Teleperformance is exactly the type of company that we wanted to attract.

“Thus, we are extremely pleased to see that the company has come to Guyana, has established operations, and has grown in the manner that it has,” Dr. Singh said.

Dr. Singh reiterated that the BPO sector has the potential to create jobs, generate income, spur economic activity, and improve lives generally, and said that this is why the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has been, since its previous term in office, promoting Guyana as a destination for BPO businesses.

He also alluded to the current Dr. Irfaan-Ali led government’s strong support for any effort by businesses which align with its vision of diversifying the economy, which will also contribute to ensuring the country maintains a stable macro-economic environment, since it would be unwise for it to solely depend on its main sectors.

Meanwhile, during the minister’s visit, the CEO conducted a video presentation, which portrayed Guyana as a unique and premier destination for BPO businesses.

This is something which the senior minister said he was impressed with, as it highlighted Guyana in a manner that the government would have wanted the country to be marketed in terms of its competitive advantages-as a premier, English-speaking country, with highly-educated citizens ready for the world of work, such as in the BPO industry.

THOUSANDS OF JOBS
“We see this sector creating thousands of jobs in Guyana, and not a lot of people know what is happening in the BPO sector. And, as part of the series of these meetings I have been having, one of my objectives was to raise public awareness of what’s happening in the sector,” Dr. Singh said.

He added: “In the pre-2015 period, we had already recognised the vast potential for BPO service, and we had invested a lot of policy effort into the sector.”

He said that Teleperformance is the ideal example of what could be achieved by persons willing to invest in Guyana.
The minister had echoed similar sentiments during his visits and tours of other BPO facilities recently.

He had referenced the fact that many businesses internationally are recognising Guyana as a prime destination for BPO services, especially with its English-speaking population, its educated workforce, and its close proximity to the United States of America and Canada.