Equality in pay package

Jun 22, 2026 Editorial, News

(Kaieteur News) – Guyanese workers must be dancing to the music coming from government. Minister of Natural Resources, Minister Vickram Bharrat said that it is time for Guyanese workers in the oil and gas sector to receive remuneration that equates to what their foreign counterparts get. Agreeable from the sound of it, one which should be easy for the foreign executives controlling the sector to sign off on. It is fair, and the time is right. There is a small consideration in being fair to Guyanese oil and gas workers, doing what is right by them. It will cost money, and that means it has to come from somewhere. The profit side of the ledger seems to be the most likely, the only, candidate.

Fairness in the pay package of Guyanese workers is due after five years of paying their dues, learning the ropes, and equipping themselves. Years of hands-on experience, which are no longer soft and green, but hardened and knowing the work that has to be done, without having to be directed as much, if at all. The expectation is that these workers have added to their qualifications which, along with the years of experience gathered, stand as the best recommendation for them to get fair pay. Minister Bharrat spoke of equality, not equal, which only he may know what that means. We at this paper think of this in one way only. Insofar as the experience and qualifications of Guyanese oil and gas workers, and the consistent quality of their work, are in line with that of expatriate workers in the sector, then they must be on the same pay scale. This includes all the benefits that are a normal part of the compensation packages received by foreign workers.

From Minister Bharrat’s words, this is good news for local workers. But this same news is not so good for oil companies, specifically. A fatter compensation package for oil and gas workers means more operating costs. That means more have to be subtracted for cost recovery. That means the so-called 50:50 profit split between Guyana and ExxonMobil would be less, all other things being equal. On the Guyana side, there should be joy, since thousands of Guyanese workers are the potential beneficiaries. But ExxonMobil and the other oil companies in the offshore consortium could see that as too expensive a price to pay. ExxonMobil has been fighting Guyana hammer and tongs for years over US$214M in audit findings. So, why would the company not resist what Minister Bharrat put in the public domain? ExxonMobil knows that Guyana should, at least, have an equal say in close to US$1B in decommissioning costs deducted, but has sparred and shied away, from agreeing to Guyana having some control in this billion. We are clear about this: Guyana should have control of all decommissioning (cleanup) millions. Taking these two money-related issues into consideration, why should ExxonMobil be receptive to equality in pay for Guyanese workers to being them in line with its expatriates doing the same work?

Minister Bharrat has spoken for the government. The PPPC Government must now possess the will to get a compensation package, inclusive of all perks, that incorporates the “equality” of which the minister spoke so authoritatively. We have noticed that this government and its leading representatives are well-versed in saying the things that sound right. Unfortunately, delivering on their words has been a hump that the government seems unable to get over, especially when ExxonMobil is involved. Moving from ExxonMobil specifically to the general oil and gas work environment, it would be huge boost for Guyanese workers should their pay package match those of their foreign colleagues doing the same jobs. We agree with the minister that local workers have accumulated the years of experience, and with the proper qualifications, any remuneration gaps should be closed quickly. What is there to prevent this from happening?

Now that Minister Bharrat has spoken, the government has a duty to make this equality in remuneration for Guyanese worker become a reality. No objections, no delays, nor games should be allowed to get in the way of what is fair for Guyanese workers. The time is right. The money is there. It must happen.

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equality, Guyanese oil and gas workers, Guyanese workers, Oil and Gas, pay package

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