Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, in his presentation of the 2024 national budget, highlighted the substantial growth in Guyana’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry since 2020. Underlining the sector’s contribution, he noted the creation of nearly 2,000 BPO jobs, particularly appealing to the female workforce and serving as an entry point into the technology-based work environment.
Singh emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting the BPO industry’s development, recognizing its job creation potential. He attributed the sector’s growth to the liberalization of the telecommunications sector in 2020, resulting in a significant reduction in bandwidth costs. The Finance Minister also disclosed that the cost of bandwidth dropped by approximately 95 percent, making Guyana’s communication costs highly competitive in the call centre industry.
Providing insight into infrastructure developments, Dr. Singh revealed the construction of four new call centre shells in 2023, two each in Essequibo and Berbice, with plans for full operational status in 2024. This initiative, backed by the government, is anticipated to create 800 additional jobs within the BPO sector, potentially scaling to 1,600. Furthermore, upgrades to facilities in Enmore and Tuschen are underway, each with the potential to employ an additional 300 individuals.
Looking ahead, the Finance Minister outlined plans for the construction of two new call centres in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) in 2024, with the capacity to generate an additional 800 jobs. Dr. Singh affirmed the government’s dedication to collaborating with the industry to position Guyana as a preferred BPO destination.
Amid private investments facilitated by strategic government policies, hundreds of new employment opportunities are expected to emerge in the BPO sector in the coming year, reinforcing the sector’s significant role in job creation and economic development.
