The Department of Energy says it wishes to bring
clarity to certain misleading narratives emerging around confidentiality in
Guyana’s new Local Content Policy (LCP). In release the Department reminded
that the 2020 Local Content Policy does in fact provide several mechanisms for
public disclosure. These are as follows- i) to the general public, the extent
of adherence of an Operator to the requirement to submit a yearly Local Content
Plan complete in all regards, and half-yearly reports; (ii) to the general
public, a yearly summary of performance in the form of a Local Content
Utilization Report, provided by the Operator to the Minister and (iii) upon
request to the Oversight Committee.
The exact provisions for this public disclosure stated in the policy
are:
1) Section 3.2.10.7: that
“Notwithstanding legal constraints that prevent disclosure of submitted and
reported information on local content to parties beyond the Minister, the
Minster shall disclose the anticipated contracting and procurement
opportunities for Guyanese Suppliers (Group A) in the form of the completed
Tables A3 in an Operator’s Local Content Plan and Table B5 in the half-year and
end-of-year Local Content Reports (Appendices A and B of the policy document);
2) Section 3.2.10.7: that
”Notwithstanding legal constraints that prevent disclosure of reported
information on local content to parties beyond the Minister, the Minister shall
on an annual basis, disclose an Operator’s Summary Local Content Utilization
Report as completed Table C1 in an Operator’s end-of-year Local Content Report
(Appendix C).
3) 3.2.10.7: that “the Local
Content Oversight Committee shall have the authority to request from the
Ministry to view in confidence the approved Operator’s Local Content Plans,
Minister-designated Primary Contractor Local Content sub-Plans and Operator
half-year and end-of-year Local Content Report, for the explicit and sole
purpose of carrying out its function of policy implementation oversight.”
The extent of disclosure of Local Content Plans and reports is always a
sensitive matter, and a balance is needed between total disclosures on the one
hand and legitimate confidentialities on the other. This is no different for
Guyana. The current policy has had to walk this difficult line.
However, the DE reiterated that Guyana’s 2020 Local Content Policy
remains a live document. Stakeholder comments on any aspect of the policy,
including levels of disclosure continue to be welcomed by the Department.
Whether additional comments are tendered or not, the DE as stated in the
document, is committed to continuous revisions as conditions evolve in the
sector. The public is invited to view the document for themselves at https://motp.gov.gy/ .
