Enmore Packaging Facility workers to be retained by GKB to retain work at new oil field service center

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, on Friday met with workers from the Enmore
Packaging Facility to update them on the future of the facility.
The workers were told that Guysons K+B Industries (GKB) had entered into an agreement with
the Guyana Government to lease the facility which will then be transformed into a modern oil
field service center and manufacturing facility. Mustapha informed the workers that as part of the
agreement, the company was required to retain every worker employed at the facility and
provide the necessary skills training so that workers were not left on the breadline.
“We are here today because many workers expressed concerns after they learned that this
packaging plant will be relocated to Albion. We are exploring that option because, as a
government, we want to consolidate, recapitalize and we want to ensure GuySuCo is an entity
that eventually becomes profitable. Over the last 18 months, since assuming office, we’ve
allocated almost $14 billion to this Corporation. We’ve also injected funds into the shuttered
estates like, here, at Enmore…,” Mustapha said. He continued, “As faith would have it, we are
now looking to divest and we’ve met with an interested investor and signed an agreement that
will see GKB leasing this packaging plant and transforming it into a modern machine shop. I
want to make it clear that the workers who are employed will be absorbed by the company. So,
you can rest assured that your jobs will be secured. From the government level, we’ll also make
two months’ pay available to you to assist with the transition.”
Minister Mustapha informed the workers that, unlike the previous administration, this
government will not abandon the people of this country. Mustapha pointed out that, as work
progresses at the service station, an additional 460 new jobs will be created for the people of
Enmore and other neighboring communities.

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony who was also present at the meeting noted that with Guyana
now benefiting from large oil finds, companies, directly and indirectly, involved in oil and gas
will be looking to employ persons from Enmore and other surrounding communities who have
the necessary skillset. “You will see us developing, as a government, a number of facilities in the
East Coast. We want to create jobs for these people in these industries. We have large finds of oil
offshore and, therefore, they would need certain machinery and parts for that industry. We have
in this community, and in the surrounding communities, a lot of persons who have the skillset
and I’m sure they will be looking for persons with those kinds of skills as they get this particular
production up and running. In addition to that, they’re other interests, so its government’s
intention to ensure that we develop this area and other surrounding villages so that more people
can be employed,” Minister Anthony explained.
Dr. Anthony informed the workers that the government will be transforming the Enmore Poly
Clinic into a modern regional hospital. This new health facility, Minister Anthony explained, will
be outfitted with an accident/emergency section, a theater for surgeries, and an outpatient section
among others. This project, he added, is expected to commence within the next three months.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Guysons Group of Companies, Faizal Khan said that
workers can rest assured that they will receive the necessary skills training to ensure their
transition is as smooth as possible. “This is a joint venture from Louisiana called Guysons K and
B Industries. We’ve already been traded. We’ve already got contracts with ExxonMobil and
others. What we intend to do here is pipe and oil field service work. I’ve spoken at length with
the minister and the President mentioned on no less than four occasions “make sure you look
after the people at the Enmore Packaging Facility and the people of Enmore”. I heard you are
very hard-working people and I want to assure you that we will give you the necessary training
so that your transition can be as smooth as possible,” Khan declared.
It was noted that workers who attended the meeting said that they were relieved that the
government made it a priority to ensure their livelihoods were secured even as new job
opportunities were being created for the community. The President and the Minister were also
thanked for ensuring skills training formed part of the agreement between the investor and
government as many of them would require some amount of training to function in their new
roles.