— Minister Singh highlights energy, ICT investments, telecom liberalisation at launch of V-Chart Services’ third call centre

THE Government of Guyana reaffirmed its commitment to fostering job creation and economic diversification through the development of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector.

This was underscored as Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, delivered the keynote address at the official launch of the V-Chart Services Guyana Call Centre on Estate Road, Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Held on Thursday, the event, which also featured a job fair aimed at attracting youths from Enmore and surrounding communities, was attended by key government officials.

They included Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Peter Ramsaroop, and V-Chart Services’ CEO and founder, Vinayak Shankar.

Dr. Singh in his remarks emphasised the transformative actions taken by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration since its return to office in August 2020, particularly in liberalising the telecommunications sector, which he described as a crucial catalyst for BPO and the wider Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industries.

“One of the first things that President Dr Irfaan Ali did—within one month of assuming office—was to bring into operation the new Telecommunications Act,” Dr. Singh noted. “By doing this, the stage was set for liberalisation in telecommunications, freeing up the sector to attract more companies and more competition.”

The minister detailed how this liberalisation led to increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure, including the laying of both domestic and international fibre-optic cables, resulting in expanded high-speed connectivity.

“Today, we have three companies with fibre optic networks built out. We have redundant fibre built out now all the way to Crabwood Creek in the Corentyne, and redundant fibre built out all the way to Linden. We have, for the very first time, fibre optic connectivity all the way to Charity,” he stated.

As a result of this, he said the cost of bandwidth, which is vital for companies like V-Chart Services, is now just one-tenth of what it was in August 2020.

Dr. Singh further highlighted the government’s broader efforts to improve infrastructure, including investments in reliable power.

He referenced the deployment of two power ships to the Berbice and Demerara rivers and the ongoing Gas-to-Energy Project, which is expected to double Guyana’s electricity generation capacity.

“You’ll be delighted to know,” Singh told Shankar and the audience, “Once we complete the Gas-to-Energy project, we will be able to reduce the cost of electricity by 50 per cent.”
The minister explained that these strategic investments are not only making Guyana more attractive to global investors but are also paving the way for sustainable job creation.

“Companies from around the world recognise Guyana as an attractive place to do business because of the talented population. We have a very well-educated population—people coming out of high school with a very strong high school foundation, very strong literacy skills,” he stated.

He added, “What we are seeing is the emergence of a BPO industry, and this industry comprises companies at every point along the spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, we have the presence of the world’s largest BPO company — Teleperformance — right here in Guyana.”

Dr. Singh noted that the government is committed to continued investment in human capital, particularly among the youth. “President Ali has committed that we will spare no effort in ramping up our training and investment in young people… to ensure a competitive workforce for international companies like V-Chart.”

As Dr. Singh concluded his remarks, he said, “We want to create an environment where jobs are created, incomes are generated, and people’s lives are improved.”

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony lauded V-Chart Services for choosing Enmore, as the location for its third call centre, hailing the initiative as a vital step in job creation and community revitalisation.

ACCESSIBILITY AND FURTURE COLLABORATION

Speaking at the centre’s official launch, Dr. Anthony reflected on the area’s legacy of resilience.
“This area is known for its resilience,” he said, noting the historical and political significance of the community, which helped fuel early political movements in Guyana.

The health minister highlighted the transformation of the local landscape, noting that where residents once relied heavily on the estate for employment, they now have a new chance at economic empowerment. “The community was always seeking or trying to find new opportunities,” he stated.

He also pointed out the accessibility of the call centre, crediting infrastructural developments that have made it easier for residents from surrounding communities such as Enterprise, Beterverwagting, and Victoria to travel to the facility. “You can get here quite easily… something that we didn’t have in the past,” he said.

In addressing future collaboration, Dr Anthony expressed interest in exploring synergies between the call centre and the digital hospital currently under construction in Enmore.

He emphasised the rising importance of digital health and the potential role of medical transcriptionists. “There are lots of connections between what we’re doing in health and what could happen in this [call centre] facility,” Dr. Anthony added.

Pledging full support for the project, Dr. Anthony assured V-Chart Services’ CEO that the government would help fill the centre’s employment target. “I want to assure the CEO that if you want 400 people, we’ll make sure that you get 400,” he promised.

He concluded by commending the company for investing in the community and said he looked forward to its success.
Later, V-Chart Services CEO Vinaya Shankar emphasised the significance of Guyana’s capacity to provide back-office services.

He expressed gratitude to GO-Invest for its support in facilitating the initiative and praised the remarkable progress achieved in just a few months.

V-Chart Services is a fast growing and dynamic company that specialises in Durable Medical Equipment (DME) billing for which it has become one of the market leaders catering major players in United States healthcare sector.

V-Chart Services also operates call centres in Georgetown and Tuschen, located on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE). Together, these two locations employ more than 160 people.

The India-based company established its operations in Guyana in 2023.