This is according to Chartered Financial Analyst, Rennie Parris. In his weekly column, ‘Talking Dollars and Making Sense,’’ published on Sunday by Kaieteur News, the analyst discussed ways in which government could create more opportunities for its people, from better paying jobs, to skills development, to making individuals and companies more competitive. The analyst pointed out that over the past few years, the country’s debt has increased significantly, as government contracted loans to build roads, hospitals, schools, and other major national projects, necessary to improve the life of citizens across the country. Many of these loans come with conditions. In some cases, the countries lending us money are allowed to bring in their own companies and workers to do the job. So even though we’re the ones taking the loan, and paying it back, our people don’t always get to do the work, or gain the experience,” he stated. He added, “that means Guyanese companies and workers miss out on learning new skills, new technologies, and how to manage large, complex projects. Over time, this keeps our people locked out of future opportunities, both here in Guyana and across the region. Parris suggested that Guyana does not have to accept such terms. According to him, “The Government of Guyana can and should negotiate smarter. Multilateral banks such as the Inter-American Development Bank IDB already work with local‑content clauses, as long as deadlines stay clear. And if we provide capital from the Natural Resource Fund, we’re showing lenders we have skin in the game.” Consequently, he urged that instead of signing off on contracts that limit local involvement, government should seek to employ a local content strategy that requires foreign companies to partner with local businesses through joint ventures. (Kaieteur News)