Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, recently held discussions with operators in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector to address critical challenges facing the industry. The meeting, held on Thursday, focused on the sector’s growth prospects and strategies to overcome labour shortages.

During the engagement, representatives from the BPO sector highlighted their principal challenge: attracting and retaining talent. This issue has been exacerbated by the rapid emergence of job opportunities in other sectors of Guyana’s expanding economy. The downsizing of operations by Teleperformance, one of the largest players in the industry, has further underscored these challenges, with hundreds of employees reportedly laid off.

Recognizing the sector’s potential to create thousands of jobs for Guyanese, Dr. Singh pledged government support through initiatives such as job fairs and public awareness campaigns. These efforts aim to showcase the opportunities available within BPOs and attract a broader pool of workers. The minister also emphasized the need for evolving from traditional call-center models to more advanced contact-center frameworks that provide value-added jobs in technology-driven environments.

Dr. Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering growth in the BPO sector, noting its role in diversifying Guyana’s economy and creating employment opportunities for women and young people. He also encouraged operators to expand their footprint beyond Georgetown to other regions, making jobs more accessible to communities across the country.

This meeting signals a collaborative effort between government and private stakeholders to ensure that Guyana remains an attractive destination for BPO investments while addressing workforce challenges head-on. As discussions continue, both parties are optimistic about unlocking new opportunities for growth in this vital sector.