Uncertainty hits call centre industry

Malcolm Sobers (left) owner of MIDAS BPO and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh
Malcolm Sobers (left) owner of MIDAS BPO and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh

The business process outsourcing (BPO) sector in Guyana is facing turmoil. Midas BPO has ceased operations, and itel CX (customer experience, another call centre venture, has announced its impending closure, leaving hundreds of employees in uncertainty.

Midas, which opened in Linden less than four years ago, abruptly closed its doors, a stark turn for a company that had celebrated hiring around 95 local workers during its first anniversary in 2022. Despite ambitious plans to expand its workforce to 150, the company’s operations proved unsustainable, reflecting broader challenges in the local BPO market.

Recently, itel CX, a Jamaica headquartered call centre at Camp and Robb streets, announced to its employees that it would be ending operations. The closure will occur in phases, with all operations expected to conclude by November 30, and the official termination of itel’s Guyana operations set for December 31. The decision was attributed to increased operational expenses and difficulties in acquiring new clients. In a memo dated September 6, itel reassured employees that severance payments and other benefits would be processed before the final employment date.