Dear Editor,
There is a major supplier of goods and services to ExxonMobil that if one looks at their books for evidence of ‘local content’, plenty will be found; however, a closer examination of their business practices reveals an inherent unfairness to local companies and suppliers.
The foreign entity that operates a wharf among other business, demands sixty days of credit from ALL Guyanese businesses; then, very often, to rule out coincidence, instigates an ‘investigation’ of the supply (goods or/and services) at or near the end of the sixty days, and Guyanese businesses have to wait until the company’s ‘investigation’ is complete to be paid. ‘Investigations’ have lasted up to 90 additional days in some instances. This practice is akin to extortion and it frustrates the smaller Guyanese-owned and operated businesses that cannot afford the loss of cash flow. The foreign company benefits from this interest-free credit and ‘investigation’ period while enjoying the benefits of the goods and services already supplied and paid for by the smaller Guyanese businesses.
The Government of Guyana must be vigilant and diligent in protecting the efforts of Guyanese businesses who deal with the fledgling oil and gas industry. A shore base or the ‘plantation’ as it is called by workers no longer utilizes the CLBD Portal for the supply of goods and services but has moved to a parallel procurement system, this is an ominous sign from a company that has significant Guyanese ownership. The Government of Guyana continues to fiddle with a ‘cut and paste’ Local Content Policy as the sector burns its way to colonialism.
Sincerely,
Name and address supplied
