The largest shore base in South America’s newest oil and gas hotspot, Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI), and its sister company, Sustainable Environmental Solutions (SES), on October 19 had their Local Content Master Plans approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
A Local Content Master Plan is a ‘development blueprint’ that is enforceable by law. It outlines a company’s procurement, employment, and capacity development plans over a five-year period.
A statement from GYSBI Thursday afternoon highlighted that the master plans’ approval signifies that GYSBI and SES have both demonstrated, through their submissions, their commitment to fostering local content in their operations.
The company said its commitment involves prioritising Guyanese nationals for employment; having policies aimed at non-discrimination and equal treatment of Guyanese nationals; implementing training and other programmes to build the capacity of both their employees and the larger Guyanese workforce; coordinating with industrial and technical education training institutions in Guyana to provide sponsorships and/or internship opportunities; and incorporating the requirements of the Local Content Act and the Procurement and Bid Evaluation Guidelines issued by the Secretariat into their procurement strategy.
On the news of the signing, GYSBI’s Deputy General Manager, Rabin Chandarpal, who received approval from Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, said that GYSBI has remained focused on developing local content and creating beneficial opportunities for Guyanese workers and vendors within the oil and gas sector.
He indicated that the company has more than 600 Guyanese currently employed within its operations – many are women. 85% of the company’s supply chain, with the exception of the purchasing of cranes, goes to Guyanese vendors, Chandarpal said.
“We want to see value generated from Guyana’s offshore resources remaining in the domestic economy and being used to develop the lives of Guyanese. GYSBI has been and will always remain committed to identifying, promoting and maximising the capacity of Guyanese nationals and companies throughout all facets of our operations,” he said.
GYBSI and SES, both of which have been certified by the Local Content Secretariat, join several other companies that have recently had their Local Content Master Plans approved by the government. These include SBM Offshore, Halliburton Guyana, and CGX Energy Inc.
