MORE jobs are on the cards for residents of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), as bids will be opened shortly for the construction of two call centres within the region.

On January 3, 2024, the government, through the Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and Planning Authority will be seeking eligible bidders to undertake the construction of a call centre at Hope Town and Mahaicony in Region Five.

Bids for the project are to be submitted on January 3, 2024, to the Chairman of the office of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

Bidders must submit one hard copy and two electronic copies of the tenders. According to the Invitation for Bids (IFB), bidding will be conducted through the National Committee Bidding (NCB) procedures, as specified in the Procurement Act 2003. Bidders are asked to adhere to all of the necessary requests for a bid security.

Chief Investment Officer, and Head of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, highlighted, a few months ago, the level of priority that the government has been placing on investment in the Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) sector over the past few years.

He also highlighted the initiatives by the government to create employment throughout the country and facilitate the rapid expansion of economic activities countrywide to boost the economy and support the diversification of the non-oil sector.

It was said that the government believes this sector is ripe for opportunities in Guyana given Guyana’s qualifications of near shore to the Americas, time zone, and supply of a young educated population.

The government is targeting for the BPO industry to provide a minimum of 15,000 jobs across Guyana by 2025.

Earlier last year, Go-Invest conducted studies in Regions Two, Three, Five, Six and 10 to understand the workforce capacity and assess the regions’ potential for the expansion of BPO outlets in those regions.

Since then, work has already begun on construction of a number of buildings to house call centres across the country.

The PPP/C government has taken steps to promote the development of the ICT sector in Guyana, including liberalisation of the telecommunication sector and investment in ICT education.
The liberalisation of the sector has resulted in tangible benefits, including greater access to connectivity, with expansions in Linden, Essequibo and Berbice, and reduced prices.