Weeks after publicly calling on oil companies to pay qualified Guyanese workers the same salaries as expatriates performing identical jobs, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat says the industry's biggest players, including ExxonMobil, SBM Offshore and MODEC have embraced the call.
Speaking on the Starting Point podcast, Bharrat said follow-up meetings with company executives have produced encouraging responses, with operators agreeing that equal work, backed by equal qualifications and experience, should attract equal pay.
Bharrat first made headlines during the approval of oil companies' annual local content plans when he declared that the time had come for Guyanese professionals to receive salaries comparable to expatriate workers performing the same roles.
He argued that Guyana's oil industry has matured significantly since first oil in 2019.
With hundreds of Guyanese now holding internationally recognised certifications, university degrees and years of offshore experience, the justification for significant salary disparities has weakened.
"If a Guyanese reservoir engineer has the same qualifications, the same experience and is doing the same job as an expatriate, then the salary should be the same," Bharrat said.
He acknowledged that expatriates may still receive additional benefits such as housing or relocation allowances because they are working outside their home countries, but maintained that base salaries should reflect competence rather than nationality.
According to the minister, ExxonMobil has responded positively.
"I've had several conversations with Exxon since making that statement, and they are supportive," Bharrat revealed.
He added that discussions with SBM Offshore, which operates Guyana's four producing Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, have also been productive.
SBM's leadership indicated that equal-pay principles are already embedded within parts of the company's operations and pledged to strengthen implementation, including among subcontractors.
Bharrat said MODEC, which will operate the upcoming Errea Wittu FPSO, also expressed support for the government's position.
The minister said the equal-pay principle represents the next stage of local content development.
Four years ago, Guyana lacked enough experienced professionals to make such demands, he explained. Today, after years of scholarships, technical training and offshore experience, the country has developed a growing cadre of engineers, technicians and specialists capable of competing directly with expatriate workers.
"We're not asking for anything unreasonable," Bharrat said. "We're simply asking for fairness."
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