Labour shortage, inadequate skillsets major hindrance to private sector

Even as Guyana forges ahead with significant advances in its nascent oil and gas sector, labour shortages and inadequate skillsets remain a major concern for local private sector stakeholders, who are expected to play a key role in the country’s growing economy.

This was the sentiment expressed by Executive Member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Richard Rambarran, during an interview with international news agency, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), earlier this week.

The need for an expanded and upgraded local workforce has been highlighted on many occasions. Rambarran told the news agency that the scale and speed of activity currently taking place in Guyana are so tremendous and transformative that the country lacks the manpower and skills to keep pace with an oil industry that is not only vast in capacity but also advancing at a record-breaking rate.

“What we have going on in Guyana is so tremendous and transformative that a small population and an even smaller labour force cannot support what we are being faced with,” he said.
He noted that while the local workforce is known for being both hardworking and intelligent, the demands of the industry can be overwhelming.

“The volume, pace, standards, and understanding of the international market—and how international business is conducted—are areas in which we, particularly in the private sector, have struggled to come up to par,” Rambarran added.

Several private sector players have echoed similar concerns about the challenges facing the local labour market. Local businessman and Director of Guyana Oil and Gas Support Services Inc. (GOGSSI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, highlighted the issue during energy talks last year, describing a dilemma where the industry required skilled personnel faster than they could be trained.
The National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Policy 2025–2035 is just one of several government initiatives aimed at addressing this industry-wide challenge.