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ExxonMobil releases unverified Local Content achievements
– produces no details of companies and persons used
By Kiana Wilburg
From 2015 to now, ExxonMobil said it has spent $45.7 billion on hundreds of local vendors. In 2019 alone, the American Oil Giant notes that over $24 billion was spent directly on 700-plus Guyanese vendors providing goods and services ranging from food to engineering. This it said, represents a 74% increase in its expenditure compared to GY$14 billion spent with Guyanese vendors in 2018.
But this data ExxonMobil issued to members of the media yesterday from its Centre for Local Business Development has not been independently verified since Guyana is still without a Local Content Compliance Unit (LCU).
Last year, Energy Department Head, Dr. Mark Bynoe promised that such a body would be in place to audit all the data Exxon submits in its reports. In the absence of same, the official confirmed that the department would have to take local content data as reported, noting at the same time that the granularity of the information provided has improved. (SEE LINK FOR THAT STORY: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2019/07/30/energy-dept-now-putting-together-audit-unit-for-local-content-reports/).
In addition to this, ExxonMobil did not provide for independent verification, the names of the Guyanese businesses it used from 2015 to now.
Further to this, ExxonMobil told the media that the number of Guyanese supporting its Guyana exploration, development and production activities, has grown by 77% in 2019, now representing more than half of the total workforce. It said, too, that there are now nearly 1,900 Guyanese supporting the company’s activities. Here again, Exxon did not provide details on the employment positions of these “nearly 1900 Guyanese” much less what they are being paid versus foreign employees.
As for the achievements of the Centre which it established in 2017 to assist small and medium-sized Guyanese businesses in building capacity, Exxon said that it now has more than 2,100 Guyanese businesses on its register. No evidence of this was provided nor is the Centre’s business portal available for perusal.
In keeping with its mandate, the American oil giant said that the Centre provided coaching and mentorship to more than 450 businesses while noting that 15 Guyanese companies are receiving mentorship for ISO 9001 compliance. It said that four companies were certified and one company has reached compliancy.
This newspaper understands that planning is underway for a Supplier Forum later this year, which will allow for direct engagement with ExxonMobil Guyana and its prime contractors. ExxonMobil reminded that the Centre had held a similar forum in December 2018.
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