President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday said he has been informed by the Secretariat of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) that Guyana has been granted an extension until July 31, 2023, to submit its 2020 report on transparency and accountability in the local extractive industry.
The Stabroek News reported on Wednesday that Guyana was suspended from EITI for failing to submit its fourth report and although Dr. Ali has regarded the delay as unacceptable, he said Guyana stands strongly behind all institutions that promote transparency and accountability.
“We will spare no effort in advancing accountability and transparency in everything we do.
“I already made it clear that it is unacceptable to have a delay in the submission of our report. Notwithstanding the fact that an extension was given by EITI Secretariat to May this year to have the report completed, we still should have been in a position to have the report submitted,” Dr. Ali said in a live broadcast from his Georgetown Office to his Facebook page.
The President did not clearly state whether Guyana was indeed suspended from the EITI, however, the News Room was informed that Guyana was temporarily suspended until the report is submitted in July.
EITI member states are required to disclose information about the domestic extractive industry value chain, which would include information on the awarding of extraction rights and how the revenue garnered is spent.
The Guyanese Head of State reminded that all EITI member states were given an extension in 2019 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in Guyana’s case, the extensive floods in the hinterland which obstructed data collection.
“The pandemic brought its own circumstances but I made it very clear that I will not tolerate delays in the presentation and submission of reports.
But in examining the cause of this delay. Dr. Ali said he also found out that while the government hired an Independent Administrator to complete the report, the multi-stakeholder group (MSG) spent four months before deciding on the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Independent Administrator.
“This begs the question of whether there are persons in that group with ulterior motives. It is now after four months that we are able to have the TOR agreed upon with two persons abstaining.
“This is unacceptable to put a country’s reporting framework at stake. To try to damage the government’s credibility is not being a good citizen,” Dr. Ali added.
The President reiterated that Guyana stands committed to working with EITI in fulfilling its responsibility and mandate and pledged to further strengthen the MSG.
“The only desire of this government is a strong monitoring framework and in the future, we will build on such a mechanism…the development of our natural resource sector is built on that mechanism.”
Dr. Ali said this will not recur and those who held the process hostage will be exposed and held accountable.
Members of the GYEITI
Industry
J Bronchalo
R Ramjit
A Alphonso
R Khan
A Gohil
J Vogt
A Jagnandan
N McLean
Civil Society
McCormack
Fiedtkou
V Radzik
K Cort-Kansinally
D Khan
Government
S Roopnauth
H Khan
V Harris
M Munroe
T Balgobin
S Richmond
S Hussain
M Pertab
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story, based on the statement by President Ali, stated that the extension was granted for May this year. However, it was later clarified that the extension to submit the report is in July. The story has since been amended.
