Latest update April 3rd, 2026 12:35 AM
Online portal launched to fast-track local content certification
(Kaieteur News) – The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on Friday launched a new online service to process local content certificates in a more timely manner.
Through the new portal, businesses will benefit from a 3–15-day renewal period, while new applications will receive registrations between 5 to 21 days.
For sole proprietors, new applications will be processed within five working days, while renewals will be completed in three working days.
Applications for 100% Guyanese-owned companies will be processed 15 working days while renewals will be processed in 10 working days through the portal.
Director of the Local Content Secretariat, Michael Munroe
Additionally, foreign companies seeking a new certificate will be granted approval in 21 workings days and renewals would be processed within 15 working days.
During a simple launching ceremony at the Duke Lodge in Kingston, Georgetown, Director of the Local Content Secretariat, Michael Munroe said the system will ensure an ease of doing business in Guyana and the move towards digitisation of services in keeping with the mandate of President Irfaan Ali.
Munroe explained that the ministry formerly processed such applications through emails which would result in longer processing times due to the manual work required by secretariat staff.
“As you would imagine, the secretariat is a small team and we’re faced with voluminous applications and that process, a lot of persons don’t appreciate, the issuance of the certificates to the person require a lot of manual work on the back end,” he noted.
As such, the portal offers a hub with a range of options to not only reduce waiting time, but offer a transparent process that tells users the date their certificate will be ready, in real time. Users can log in at any time to view their current application status, determine whether an application is under review, pending additional information, or approved. This real-time visibility reduces uncertainty, limits the need for follow-up emails, and improves overall trust in the process, the ministry said.
The updated system provides for online submission of applications, eliminating the need for manual paperwork and reducing administrative delays. It also strengthens internal review and approval processes by automating workflows and introducing timelines according to the application selected. Processing of an application or the timeline for completion will not commence unless all relevant documentation is provided.
During remarks, the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat pointed to some of the challenges faced by the ministry in rolling out the landmark local content act, passed in 2021, as he pointed to the importance of conducting due diligence.
“Registering over 1,200 businesses in such a short period of time obviously requires a lot of resources, especially personnel. Right now, the local content secretariat is very taxed and this is the reason why we are moving towards the portal because they were very taxed…we need to ensure that the due diligence especially on new applications are done mainly because in the past we have had some bad experiences where people were trying to establish shell companies so that they can get past the legislation,” he explained.
Additionally, the minister noted that cases of fronting were also discovered, however there has been a greater level of compliance with the Act by both Guyanese and foreign companies recently.
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