The Government of Guyana is considering whether to introduce dedicated local content legislation for the mining and other non-oil sectors, according to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat.
Bharat made the disclosure in Parliament on February 10, 2026, during the consideration of budget estimates for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Parliament, in response to a question from opposition Member of Parliament Juretha Fernandes.
Guyana’s Local Content Act, implemented at the end of 2021, was primarily designed to govern the oil and gas sector. The legislation aims to ensure greater participation of Guyanese citizens and companies through employment, training, and access to contracts. Since its passage, the framework has facilitated the award of hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in contracts to local businesses.
While the existing law targets oil and gas, Bharrat said the government has encouraged investors in other industries, including agriculture, tourism and mining, to align with its principles. He noted that many companies entering Guyana have already been following patterns consistent with the Act’s requirements.
The minister said the administration is now examining whether there is a need for separate local content legislation tailored specifically to mining or other sectors, adding that the current approach has yielded “good results” across industries.
