CEO stresses need to balance economic growth with sustainability in developing oil and gas sector
BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS — A continuously growing oil and gas industry among Caribbean countries could augur well for local economies and the region as a whole said the top executive of a leading regional recruitment service. However, he cautioned that such expansion should be done in a sustainable way, especially given the Caribbean’s vulnerability to climate change and other natural disasters.
“The oil and gas industry in the region has fared well over the years, particularly in certain countries, so there’s no doubt that it could also be a source of wealth if successfully developed in neighbouring countries,” said Joseph Boll, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. CEO. “But, of course, it can’t be done at the expense or risk of environmental damage. Economic diversification is important; I think we can all agree that the pandemic taught that lesson harshly. But so too did it teach just how vulnerable many of the region’s countries are to external shocks beyond control, which many natural disasters are. There needs to be a balance between the two if this venture is to be successful.”
Caribbean Employment Services Inc. is a market-leading digital talent acquisition service that aims to connect the top talent from the Caribbean with hiring managers, HR professionals, and decision-makers in companies both within the Caribbean as well as abroad. Further, it aims to provide the region’s jobseekers and those who are already employed with news and resources related to Caribbean labour.
“Still,” Boll continued, “there have been new developments in the oil and gas industry, and particularly in the developing green economy, and we at Caribbean Employment Services Inc. are excited to see how that will continue to develop.”
The CEO referred to recent prospects in Trinidad & Tobago as well as Barbados, which hint at possible job growth opportunities to come in the future. The oil and gas industry in the Caribbean has typically been dominated by Guyana over the last several years. In fact, that nation had so much success in this regard that its economy flourished during the pandemic — a time when most other Caribbean countries, which were largely tourism-dependent, struggled with global shutdowns in travel. But most Caribbean nations have earnestly reinforced efforts to diversify their economies since then, and on the heels of a green energy conference hosted in Guyana, both Trinidad, and Barbados have expressed confidence in job opportunities in the works for renewable energy. In Trinidad, a new partnership between the government and an energy company will train university graduates to take up positions in the growing oil industry. Meanwhile, in Barbados, the government recently acknowledged “significant opportunities for new jobs and decent incomes for Barbadians participating in energy value chain activities” in the future.
Caribbean Employment Services Inc. looks forward to continuing successes of this developing industry and remains prepared to assist businesses and jobseekers looking to hire employees in or join the green economy.
