Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan has warned that Guyana is at risk of being booted out of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) if it misses its next reporting deadline. His warning comes on the heels of the country being suspended earlier this month for failing to prepare and submit its 2020 report. That document captures the reconciliation of revenues received by the State from the extractive sector. The deadline for the report was December 2022.
Following the disclosure of the suspension, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said efforts will be made to bring the country in compliance with EITI’s reporting requirements, adding that the country has up to May to get its house in order. The Head of State had also blamed certain elements in a Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) consisting of industry officials, civil society representatives and government officials. That 12 member body was required to approve the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the consultant hired by government to prepare Guyana’s 2020 report. A four month delay in approving the said terms affected the delivery of the 2020 report. Ali has however promised to hold the apparent slackers accountable.
But Ramjattan at his party’s latest press conference seemed appalled at Ali’s response. He suggested that instead of casting blame and finding excuses, a serious plan of action should be instituted to complete the report before May 2023.
“Not doing so, will see Guyana being delisted from the international body. This, of course, would bring stinging rebukes to the Ali-led Administration and huge embarrassment to Guyana,” Ramjattan said.
The AFC Leader also criticized the President for casting blame at the feet of persons in the MSG, specifically Mike McCormack and Ms. Vanda Radzik.
He said, “Attacking two of the most prominent and active civil society members, is plain suicide. The EITI standard makes it clear that each and every member of the Multi-Stakeholder Group, must operate and express their opinions freely without fear, coercion or reprisal.”
Meanwhile, Ramjattan posited that one of the arrangements Guyana has agreed to comply with as an EITI member is for there to be complete transparency of all mining contracts.
“They also need transparency as to who are the human beings behind those companies, what you call the beneficial owners; how much money they are paying for these concessions, how much royalty they are paying, how much taxes they are paying. And it goes right across for forestry, for fishing, for oil and gas, and for the whole spectrum,” the AFC Leader said.
In conclusion, he said it is imperative that the Ali government get its act together and not seek to cast aspersions where they aren’t warranted.
