AS Guyana’s oil and gas sector continues to expand, the conversation around local content remains a central focus for stakeholders across the industry.
During a recent press engagement, Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), emphasised the importance of strategic collaboration in building sustainable local capacity.
Routledge reflected on the Local Content Act of 2021, noting that while the legislation’s first schedule set vital benchmarks, real progress has come from the partnerships forged between government, industry, and national training institutions.
“What has been happening pragmatically over the last several years is that… we’ve committed to working proactively with the government on building up the capacity in the industry, matching the demand with the supply,” he said.
He cautioned against the unintended consequences of fixed targets, such as over-investment in areas where demand may not align with supply. Instead, he advocated for a more dynamic approach that fosters smart partnerships and encourages foreign direct investment while ensuring Guyanese businesses and workers are well-positioned to benefit.
“We haven’t seen a need from the government to push additional targets because of the level of collaboration that’s happening across the industry, between government and the private sector, and also the national training institutions.
“As long as we are all working together, I believe that is the most constructive way, and probably the fastest way, to efficiently build local capacity,” Routledge added.
The EMGL official’s comments come as local private sector bodies have called for a review of the Local Content Act to increase Guyanese participation. While acknowledging these calls, his remarks suggest that the current collaborative model yields tangible results and may offer a more sustainable path forward.
The company has reported that GY$87 billion was spent directly with 1,800 local vendors for the first half of the year alone and some $600 billion since 2015. Guyanese currently make up about 70 per cent of the oil and gas workforce.