Civil society coalition Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) has accused the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) of undermining the independence of Guyana’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI), in what it calls a “gross disregard” for international transparency standards.
According to a press release, Minister Vickram Bharrat earlier this year attempted to replace PFG as the independent convenor of the civil society arm of GYEITI’s Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) with a nominee from the Private Sector Commission (PSC), a business entity. This move, the group said, violates a core principle of the EITI Standard — that each sector (government, business, and civil society) must independently select its representatives.
After months of what PFG described as “secrecy,” the effort was reportedly exposed and blocked following intervention by the International EITI Secretariat in Norway. Nevertheless, on September 30, the Ministry reissued a public call for a new convenor of the MSG-Civic — this time allowing individuals to apply rather than just civil society organisations. PFG argues this could allow the Ministry to handpick a compliant individual and gain influence over a process designed to be independent.
“A notable feature of the advert is that individuals, as contrasted with civic organisations, can apply — providing the Ministry with a fail-safe manner of controlling selection,” the release stated. The advertisement did not include selection criteria, further fueling concerns of political manipulation.
Since 2016, PFG has overseen the civic selection process for the MSG, a role it was assigned by former Minister Raphael Trotman under the previous APNU+AFC administration. PFG says its procedure — which involves independent selectors — has been praised regionally and was even adopted by Trinidad and Tobago’s EITI process. It claims its method has never been challenged until now.
On September 24, 2025, PFG received short notice from Minister Bharrat removing the group from any role in GYEITI. Days later, during a virtual media briefing, the Ministry reaffirmed its intention to pursue a replacement — again naming the PSC as a possible contender despite clear EITI rules that the private sector may only represent its own interests within the MSG.
“The Minister’s attempt to have the private sector control two sectors of the MSG — civic and business — is contradictory to the fundamental purpose of EITI,” the statement reads.
The broader critique, however, is more pointed. PFG says this move reflects a deeper political culture of domination and exclusion, one that mirrors Guyana’s wider governance challenges — including the recent foreign exchange crisis and systemic failures in the gold and oil sectors. “The prevailing Guyanese political culture encourages denouncing, humiliating, boycotting and monopolizing rather than collective governance,” the statement argued.
Calling for a return to consensus-based governance, PFG emphasised that the EITI process offers Guyana a rare framework for multi-stakeholder dialogue and accountability — one desperately needed given the “ruinous state” of its key extractive industries. The group warns of serious problems in gold mining, such as smuggling, environmental destruction, and criminal links, as well as an oil sector it describes as skewed in favour of foreign companies.
“Guyana as a country loses because of smuggling, non-declaration and export of gold production and entanglement with cocaine trafficking and arms smuggling,” the group said. It also flagged weak oversight from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, stating that both are incapable of effective regulation.
While acknowledging that EITI is not a cure-all, PFG sees its role as vital in exposing malpractice and enabling public pressure for reform. “EITI stands or falls by the level of respect and independence a Government manifests towards the civil sector and civic space,” the group concluded.
The MNRE has previously rejected accusations of interference, stating in August 2025 that it has no intention of undermining GYEITI and asserting that the authority to appoint a convenor lies with the Minister. However, critics argue that real transparency demands more than technical compliance — it requires a government willing to uphold the independence of civil society without attempting to steer or control it.
