Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC has ordered the Director of Local Content Martin Pertab to issue Ramps Logistics (Guyana) with a Local Content Certificate by noon on Monday, November 14, failing to do so will see him being liable for contempt of court and being fined.
In September, the company initiated judicial review proceedings against Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, the Local Content Secretariat, Secretariat Director Martin Pertab, and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC over the government’s decision to deny it the certificate.
Ruling in the matter on Friday, Justice George held that the Local Content Secretariat considered irrelevant factors in making its decision. The irrelevant factors she alluded to are the criminal charges against the company for making false declarations to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). Based on the evidence before the court, Justice George noted that the company has satisfied all the requirements to be registered in the Local Content Register.
Ramps Logisitcs’ Logistics Director, Samantha Cole had deposed that if the company is not added to the Local Content register, it will lose multi-million US dollar contracts from companies in the oil industry and be forced to reduce its operations and dismiss a majority of its employees.
At a press conference, Ramps Logistics Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaun Rampersad had related that the company divested 51 per cent ownership of its Guyana operations to Trinidad-based investor Deepak Lall, who has Guyanese parentage, to bring its operations in compliance with the Local Content Law.
Guyana’s Local Content Act defines a local company as one incorporated under the Companies Act and is beneficially owned by Guyanese nationals. Beneficial ownership is defined as owning 51 per cent of the company. Additionally, a local company is expected to have Guyanese in at least 75 per cent of executive and senior management positions, and at least 90 per cent in non-managerial and other positions.
