With 2028 first oil in focus, Suriname’s Local Content Board (LCB) has set its sights on strengthening coordination and tackling regulatory bottlenecks affecting project execution.
Earlier this week, the board met with industry and government stakeholders, including SBM Offshore, Petronas, TotalEnergies, Chevron, Halliburton, APA Corporation and State oil company Staatsolie, alongside other sector partners.
The core objective, according to a note released by the President’s Office, was to establish a permanent consultation structure between the LCB and industry and government institutions, to identify and resolve bottlenecks that could delay project execution on the path to 2028.
Chair of the LCB, Lucil Drielinger-Fernandes, said, “Local Content is not a slogan. Local Content is a promise. A promise that the wealth beneath our sea will translate into opportunity above it into jobs, skills, stronger businesses, and a future our children can inherit with pride.”
She stressed that effective local content policy requires both ambition and governance discipline. “When a nation makes such a promise, it must do two things at once: Dream boldly. Govern wisely.”
Discussions reportedly centered on work permits, visa processes, maritime labor legislation, and regulatory implementation – areas considered critical for predictable mobilization of expertise and safe offshore operations.
Chief of Staff of the President’s Office, Sergio Akiemboto, emphasized the need for “immediate, rapid and workable solutions”. He also committed to concrete feedback within two months in coordination with relevant ministries.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melvin Bouva reportedly pledged cooperation to further improve the investment climate, including procedural reforms to enhance predictability and efficiency.
Emphasizing cooperation as central to that approach, Drielinger-Fernandes noted: “Our job is not to pick winners. Our job is to build understanding, maintain balance, and help stakeholders see each other as partners, not adversaries. Because if we don’t understand each other, we won’t trust each other. And if we don’t trust each other, we won’t build anything that lasts.”
The LCB stated that local content should not be reduced to rigid percentage targets but instead translate into realistic, enforceable frameworks supported by industry and government.
The board has also committed to hosting regular consultations with the government and sector stakeholders as Suriname advances toward first oil.
