Guyana, Suriname and Greater Caribbean

Operating across the Greater Caribbean requires more than country-specific insight. The region's diversity of legal systems, regulatory regimes and market dynamics demands a coordinated, cross-border approach.

Holland & Knight's Guyana, Suriname and Greater Caribbean Team brings together multidisciplinary teams across jurisdictions to deliver seamless, integrated counsel, enabling clients to navigate complexity, align strategy and execute effectively across a highly fragmented yet interconnected region that is poised for tremendous growth.

Our long-standing presence and ongoing commitment in the region include serving as a longtime member of the Latin America & Caribbean Counsel Association, the region's leading voice for corporate counsel, as well as providing legal counsel to the Inter-American Development Bank – a primary financing source for large development projects throughout Latin America and the Greater Caribbean.

We have a thorough understanding of the regulatory frameworks and other jurisdictional differences from country to country. Our attorneys have visited the region many times, including time on the ground in Guyana and Suriname meeting with government and industry officials to offer forward-looking guidance on bolstering infrastructure such as roads, bridges, ports, airports, deep water harbors and power grid expansion. In addition, we have provided counsel on ways to manage the tremendous current and future growth in energy development, financial services and other economic investment that would benefit both government and industry stakeholders.

Our Guyana, Suriname and Greater Caribbean Team also has advised on a number of regulatory matters, including changes in public-private partnership law, petroleum law, oil and gas contracts, and related regulations.

Guyana

Guyana's emergence as a global energy powerhouse is rapidly transforming its economic, regulatory and geopolitical landscape. Accelerated offshore oil development and significant infrastructure investment create substantial opportunities across energy, construction, financing, digital services and related sectors, while also introducing evolving legal, regulatory and governance considerations.

Through meetings with private sector leaders and project developers, our team has a thorough understanding of Guyana's regulatory framework, content priorities and long-term growth strategies – identifying a number of promising opportunities for clients across sectors.

Our attorneys provide multidisciplinary counsel informed by our deep regional experience and strong government and industry relationships, helping clients navigate risk, structure investments and execute with confidence in one of the world's fastest-growing markets.

Suriname

Suriname is at a pivotal moment, marked by rapid economic transformation and evolving policy, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. As the government advances commercialization strategies and regional energy integration, our connections with government and industry officials enable us to provide investors with a careful assessment of project development, financing structures and regulatory risk while identifying key opportunities to move your business forward.

Our team has provided advice with respect to possible airport and other infrastructure development, including ways to streamline procurement and ensure project compliance.

Holland & Knight attorneys deliver integrated legal and strategic guidance grounded in regional insight, enabling clients to navigate complexity, mitigate risk and capitalize on emerging opportunities in this developing market.

Greater Caribbean

Holland & Knight has a long history of representing entities in matters throughout the Caribbean. Whether helping to facilitate U.S. and international clients' business opportunities in the region or guiding Caribbean clients with respect to matters in the U.S., our attorneys collaborate seamlessly across practices to support your needs.

From energy, transportation and infrastructure projects to financial services, technology, manufacturing, real estate and more, our experienced lawyers take the time to fully understand your priorities, anticipate potential challenges and deliver impactful solutions that help meet your business goals.

Energy Experience That Matters

Holland & Knight's energy attorneys have provided legal and business advice to companies around the globe, assisting a wide range of industry clients in more than 80 countries on six continents, including key projects in Guyana and Suriname.

We work closely with multinational and independent oil and gas companies, state-owned energy companies and sovereign governments, renewable energy companies and others in the development of energy projects and negotiation of commercial agreements, as well as in the full spectrum of energy transactions. To the world's energy industry, our team is a formidable resource for legal and commercial assistance.

Among our representative energy engagements in Guyana and Suriname:

• assisting the government of Guyana in updating its hydrocarbon law and regulatory environment for oil and gas, as well as revising and drafting its shallow water and deepwater production sharing contracts
• representing Moeve (formerly Cepsa) with regard to its oil and gas interests in Block 53 in Suriname
• representing Kosmos Energy Ltd. in the negotiation of its upstream oil and gas contract with the government of Suriname
• representing an international joint venture on an oil refinery development project in Guyana
• representing an international joint venture exploring financing and general support from the appropriate U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), International Development Finance Corp. (DFC), EXIM Bank and U.S. Department of State for various development projects in Guyana
• representing an international joint venture in the defense of claims asserted by failed bidders on a transformational gas-to-power generation facility constructed in coordination with the rich offshore gas fields; the AAA arbitration was conducted on a "rocket-docket," requiring the use of Holland & Knight's broad experience in similar litigation, along with deep ties to legacy Venezuelan interests and work with other Latin American companies and Guyana-based affiliates
• representing an international joint venture that is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for a 300-megawatt combined cycle gas turbine power plant in Georgetown, Guyana, including with claim and dispute support
• representing an EPC contractor from Finland on claim support for a power plant in Guyana
• advised a local energy company on investor and operator negotiations in connection with its proposed energy operations in Guyana
• represented an oil and gas company on its regional expansion strategy, including the formation and structuring of local entities in Mexico and Suriname to support the distribution and commercialization of its products in those markets