Cross-border technology transfer is essential to strengthening Guyana’s private sector beyond oil and gas, according to Captain Gerald Gouveia Jr., Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC).
Gouveia told OilNOW last week that technology is already driving growth in the oil and gas industry through local–international partnerships. However, he stressed that greater technology transfer is needed to expand benefits into non-oil sectors and support broader economic growth.
“We need more and better technology to help create efficiencies…so human capital is something we need assistance with. Financially, we need more capital flowing into and around the country. And then technology-wise,” Gouveia said.
He identified technology as a key productivity bottleneck, noting that private sector companies are working to strengthen their technical and safety systems and become more self-sufficient in Guyana.
“A lot of the technology that we use to track compliance and ensure our staff operate safely is now technology-based… So most of the larger companies are looking for international partners to help add that capacity so we can continue the scalability of the country,” he said.
The PSC Chairman pointed to a partnership with Omni Helicopters International as a model of technology transfer. “What we’ve been able to do, aside from bringing the most advanced helicopters in the world to Guyana, is that we’re actually now training Guyanese how to fly them. For the first time in our history, we have four Guyanese who are being trained to fly these top-of-the-line helicopters for the oil and gas industry.”
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He said the partnership also strengthens safety systems. “They’re also coming down, they’re improving their technical safety systems, which is all technology-based to maintain helicopter operations tracking, safety system tracking, and developing the locals.”
Gouveia said the construction sector is also benefiting. “Whether that’s bringing in greener technology as mandated by some of these tenders…a lot of the technology that we would use to track our compliance to make sure that our staff is operating safely is all now technology-based.”
He said these advancements are influencing other industries and creating efficiencies even in the non-oil and gas sectors
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Tags: technology, oil and gas, private sector companies
