These are the issues that most commonly trigger follow-up requests from the Secretariat — or worse, penalties. Here's how to avoid them.
Filing your half-yearly report shouldn't be stressful, but the Local Content Secretariat reviews every submission — and inconsistencies trigger follow-up requests, delays, and potential penalties. Here are the five mistakes we see most often.
The most common audit trigger. Your PDF narrative report says you employed 47 Guyanese nationals in professional roles, but the Excel template shows 43. The Secretariat cross-checks these figures, and mismatches always result in a Request for Information (RFI).
How to avoid it: Generate both documents from the same data source. If you're using LCA Desk, the narrative and template are auto-generated from your input — they can't be inconsistent.
When reporting procurement spend with "Guyanese suppliers," each supplier should have a valid Local Content Secretariat registration number. Suppliers without valid LCS registration don't count toward your local content percentage.
How to avoid it: Verify every supplier's LCS status before including them in your local content figures. LCA Desk's supplier verification tool checks certificates in real-time.
Reporting total procurement spend without breaking it down by the 14 LCA service categories doesn't demonstrate compliance with category-specific minimum targets. The Secretariat expects to see granular data.
How to avoid it: Categorize every purchase order and invoice by LCA service category as they occur — not at filing time. This is one of the biggest time-savers from setting up proper tracking early.
The deadlines are hard: July 30 for H1, January 30 for H2. Late submissions incur an automatic GY$1 million penalty — even if the report itself is perfect. Extensions can be requested, but must be approved before the deadline.
How to avoid it: Start preparing at least 6 weeks before the deadline. Set calendar reminders at 30, 14, and 7 days. LCA Desk sends automated reminders and tracks your filing status.
Some companies submit reports with no training or capacity development activities. This is a red flag — the LCA expects all companies to invest in building Guyanese capacity. An empty section invites scrutiny.
How to avoid it: Document all training activities throughout the period, even informal ones. Safety briefings, on-the-job training, mentorship programs, and skills workshops all count. Keep attendance records with dates and participant counts.
Each of these mistakes can result in a Request for Information from the Secretariat, which takes time and resources to respond to. Repeated issues can escalate to formal penalties. The simplest approach: use a system designed for LCA compliance that prevents these errors before submission.
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