Exxon’s Local Business Centre begins countrywide outreach

ExxonMobil’s Centre for Local Business Development commenced an outreach programme in Berbice on Monday.
Project Director of the Centre, Patrick Henry, said the project is part of offering its services to businesses outside of Georgetown.
According to the Department of Public Information, the interaction was facilitated by the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) in New Amsterdam.
Henry briefed Berbice businessmen on the opportunities available to them through the Centre. Those services include information and training in the oil and gas industry, business training and more importantly, providing key linkages between local and international companies working in the sector. Although the event was poorly attended by the Berbice business community, Henry pledged to return to facilitate training to interested businesses.

Those present showed much interest in the Centre’s business portal which provides the joint venture linkages. Businessman Levan Butchey inquired how Berbice businesses can benefit given the distance from Georgetown. It is some two hours by road between the two towns.
Henry explained that distance is not an issue in an industry as global as the oil and gas. “You have to make your business competitive,” he explained.
Henry said already the supplier database portal has made over 100 introductions between foreign and local businesses. There are approximately 900 businesses, local and international that have signed up with the supplier database.
Over the next six months the Centre for Local Business Development will be engaging business chambers and associations to offer their services and register local businesses to the portal.