Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo urges companies to stop naturalizing foreign workers to secure high-paying jobs for Guyanese citizens. During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo expressed concerns that some companies have been exploiting a loophole in the Local Content law, allowing foreign workers to claim these coveted positions.
“It’s our intention to close the loopholes that some foreign companies are utilising… because some of them have high-paying jobs for the management, the foreigners, [and] they have to change the management over time,” Jagdeo stated.
He warned that these practices would not be tolerated, adding, “We’ll start exposing them [because] they’re trying to get their foreign staff to claim that they’ve lived here for five years and to get them Guyanese nationality.”
The Vice President highlighted that the government is closely monitoring this practice and is committed to ending it. “I see some of the big companies applying for that. Let me say here now that they are not going to succeed. We have to give our people more opportunities and better-paying jobs, too,” he emphasized.
Jagdeo reiterated the government’s intention to strengthen the Local Content Act of 2021, which aims to increase employment and economic opportunities for local citizens. Despite the existing loopholes, he declared the law a success, noting its positive impact on the economy.
“This Act should be hailed as having the biggest impact,” Jagdeo remarked, citing projections that by the end of 2024, local companies would generate a combined US$700 million. He added, “That is major change, and we intend to create more room for our people providing they develop the capacity… Just imagine if we didn’t have the law… maybe US$50 million of the US$700 million would have come to Guyanese.”
Earlier this year, the Local Content Secretariat issued a warning to contractors, subcontractors, and licensees, reminding them of their obligation to ensure that Guyanese nationals employed in their operations receive ongoing training and capacity development. The Secretariat emphasized that this would help local workers become more skilled in emerging industries. It also announced that audits would be conducted to ensure compliance with the requirements set forth in the Act.