Sep 24, 2026
2 min read
Stronger safeguards and clearer rules are needed to ensure the benefits of Guyana's oil and gas sector are extended to local contractors, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Kathy Smith says.
Smith was speaking during the Chamber's Energy Luncheon at the Guyana Marriott Hotel on Thursday, where she called for clearer government guidance to ensure Guyanese businesses are not sidelined as regional and international companies enter the sector.
She said while Guyana welcomes foreign investment, companies entering the market should also contribute to the development of Guyanese businesses.
"The oil and gas in Guyana should look and resemble Guyana. We want to ensure that whoever is coming, whether its regional, international contractor.
They must understand that they are not here to grow their business and their business only, that they are here to develop Guyanese business and to develop this economy. I really believe that there should be more monitoring and observation from the government's standpoint," she said.
Smith urged local contractors to build their technical capacity, strengthen their financial systems and form strategic partnerships to compete for higher-value contracts.
She also called for greater engagement around Guyana's emerging gas sector, saying there is significant work to be done and that the GCCI is prepared to participate in the process.
"We are still not getting information that we need. I know somebody might say that it's up to us to figure out what information is needed, but I really believe we need a lot of support...I'm asking that the conversation is there to prepare Guyanese for gas. We cannot continue to have companies know more about Guyana gas and oil more than us," she said.
ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge also stressed the importance of ensuring Guyanese businesses benefit from the country's energy resources, noting that more than 70 per cent of the oil and gas workforce is Guyanese.
"Developing the resources of the country needs to be for the benefit of the people. It needs to be maximised...I would say that over the last few years...we've been building foundations in the country," he said.
The event was held under the theme "Beyond the Barrel, Oil and Gas, Development and the Guyanese Contractor."
