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.
These closures raise serious concerns about the viability of the BPO sector in Guyana, which the government has been keen to expand. While itel described Guyana as a “gem,” it highlighted the rising costs of doing business and the struggle to attract and retain qualified talent, which hampered its ability to maintain contracts with Fortune 500 clients.
The loss of jobs at both Midas and itel pose a significant challenge to the government’s optimistic outlook for the sector.
Nonetheless, Prochant, a US-headquartered BPO, hosted a job fair in Linden in early October, aiming to provide new opportunities for Lindeners. Attended by senior government officials, including Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh, the fair focused on training and employment in the healthcare sector. Prochant plans to hire 100 individuals by mid-2025, offering career pathways in medical billing and revenue cycle services.
Minister Singh welcomed Prochant’s investment, expressing hope for further expansion in Guyana. He spoke of the government’s commitment to evolving the BPO model from entry-level services to more value-added roles, highlighting the need for innovation in a changing ICT landscape.
In an effort to bolster the BPO sector, the government has committed more than $2 billion to the development of call centre facilities. This investment aims to generate 15,000 jobs in the industry by the end of next year, according to the Guyana Office for Investment (G-Invest).
President Irfaan Ali’s vision for the BPO sector began taking shape with the introduction of fiscal incentives and support for workforce skills development. The initiative gained momentum in 2022 during the first stakeholder meeting organised by G-Invest, bringing together various BPO operators in the country. Initially targeting the creation of 10,000 jobs by 2025; that goal has now been revised to 15,000.
G-Invest reported that more than $2 billion has been allocated for the construction of ready-made call centre facilities, strategically located in Regions Two, Five, Six, and in areas such as Tuschen, Enmore, and Linden. This infrastructure development is complemented by training programmes aimed at enhancing ICT literacy among new recruits.
Major industry players, including Qualfon and Teleperformance have established operations in Guyana, while companies like VChart Services, based in India, are expanding their presence with plans to hire 100 new employees at their Tuschen and Enmore locations by year-end. These developments are expected to transform communities, particularly in Tuschen, which has historically relied on seasonal farming jobs, G-Invest said.
The growth of the BPO sector is further supported by the liberalisation of the telecom market, encouraging private investments in fibre-optic infrastructure. As Guyana’s economy expands, the development of critical sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and new industries like port logistics and supply chain management will play a vital role in sustaining the BPO sector’s growth, it added.
