PAC on GRA staff losses

Aug 07, 2023 Editorial

Editorial…

Kaieteur News – Guyana’s parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), recently met and discussed the travails afflicting the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). Staff losses in the crucial auditing department have impacted the work of the Cost Recovery Unit of the GRA. Those losses are not run-of-the-mill staff departures, but a luxury that can be ill-afforded by the GRA. When the GRA limps, Guyana groans for its chances of identifying issues take a hit, where the billions in expenses submitted by ExxonMobil are involved.

The PAC had an idea that could help in some ways. It could, but only if it is part of a menu of measures intended to keep skilled staff in place at the GRA, with the objective that ExxonMobil is thwarted for a time, and the work of reviewing the company’s bills continues undiminished. The PAC’s idea is that binding contracts should be considered by GRA management, for the obvious reason that they cement high-quality workers in places of scarce supply, such as auditing. We agree, but with qualification regarding the terms and conditions that go into such employment contracts.

Obviously, work contracts will specify a period of time which binds both employer and worker. We think that that should be for five years, and not less than three. We bypass issues of pay and the total compensations packages offered, which if they are to mean anything must have sufficient incentives to attract and retain Guyanese workers. The contracts, however, must have a provision that prohibits any worker that was involved in oil company matters from taking up employment with such entities for a minimum of three years after such involvement. In addition, contracts cannot be bought out, meaning that the GRA and other such local entities are prevented from accepting compensation for those they lose. This may sound draconian, but Guyana has to protect itself, after being victimized so frequently since the discovery of oil. First, it was with the ExxonMobil oil contract, and now it is through ExxonMobil and others reaching into the thin pool of Guyanese talent and grabbing hold of who is there.

This does not have to be limited to the GRA, and it is not about those in the audit field alone. Also, the prohibition does not have to be specific to the oil producing companies only, but apply to those that support the three in the consortium via downstream businesses. If we do not get serious and severe in our approach in this fight for our life with oil companies that seek new ways to dilute Guyana’s strength, then only the worst should be expected. The sooner that we come to appreciate that oil is a cut-throat, dog-eat-dog, business, and that nice guys finish last, the better we will be able to position ourselves to take the necessary action that protects us.

We think that it makes sense for crucial state agencies in Guyana to initiate their own internal studies to determine which workers possessing what kinds of in-demand skills are likely to be prime targets for foreign company recruitment. From such an inventory of people, skills, and competencies, there is awareness of who belongs to a group that could be labeled as black belts, for they form part of an untouchable SWAT team or Delta Force. This assists management in deciding who cannot be parted with, and who should be kept. To use a description common in sports, the black belts and keepers are franchise presences.

What Guyana needs urgently as it struggles to control the pace of the oil in which it is involved, is time; time to gather the quality human resources that make for a solid bench of high performers. Time is also needed to accelerate cross-training so that departures do not bite as deeply. We think that every effort must be made, out of necessity, to encourage, steer, and incentivize more of our young highfliers out of CXC and CAPE programmes towards accounting and auditing, engineering, and similar such disciplines. It goes without saying that it would be immeasurably more beneficial if their focus is on the oil and gas industry and its practices. We are heavily shorthanded, which is intensified by more expenses coming from ExxonMobil for precontract costs, as projects increase.

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Delta Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Guyana’s parliamentary, n Guyanese workers, We are heavily shorthanded

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