Regional and international organisations are stepping up support for Guyanese civil society groups who argue that the Government is attempting to take political control of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI). The coalition is calling for urgent intervention from the International EITI Board, which meets this week in Armenia.
Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), which previously convened the civic component of the MSG, stated that it “does not recognise the meeting scheduled for Thursday, 20 November at the Marriott Hotel Government-appointed convenor Dr. Ivor English, as valid.”
Broad Coalition Supports Call for Intervention
The renewed pressure follows a widely attended Zoom meeting on November 15 involving participants from EITI chapters in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and Australia, with solidarity messages from EITI-Peru and EITI-Ukraine. Local attendees included PFG trustees, MSG civic selectors, former industry and civic representatives, national NGOs, and Amerindian leaders from three regions. Ten additional invitees submitted apologies.
PFG stressed that the core issue is not the reinstatement of its role as convenor, but the Government’s move to “capture the GYEITI MSG politically.” Participants warned that the GYEITI Secretariat already functions “as a department” of the Ministry of Natural Resources—responsible for finances, staffing, and communications—and argued that government control over MSG selection would constitute full political capture.
The EITI Standard 2023 defines civil society broadly, recognising “trade unions, issue-based coalitions, faith-based organisations, Indigenous Peoples’ movements, the media, think tanks and foundations,” confirming the media’s inclusion in the civic space.
Open Letter to the EITI Board
The meeting agreed unanimously to send an Open Letter to the International Board requesting:
- A formal intervention stating that the Government’s approach to civic appointments violates the independence required under the EITI Standard 2023.
- A public statement reinforcing this view.
- Recognition only of MSG meetings convened per EITI rules.
- Wide circulation of the Open Letter locally and internationally.
Roots of the Dispute: Claim That MSG “No Longer Exists”
According to PFG, the Government’s rationale for assuming control of the selection process emerged only in January 2025, when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources declared that the MSG had ceased to exist. Industry and civic sectors had simply requested a meeting of MSG Co-Chairs to discuss membership renewal. This claim that the body no longer existed was later used to justify direct ministerial involvement in selecting new members—an act civic groups say runs counter to EITI’s requirement for independent constituencies.
Proposed Steps to Resolve the Impasse
PFG argues that the situation can be resolved by returning to the point at which the misinterpretation arose and restoring adherence to the EITI Standard 2023. The group proposes:
- The Minister should reconvene the former MSG Co-Chairs to review and approve any proposed selection process.
- Co-Chairs should validate previously submitted nominee lists from industry and civil society, allowing the MSG to resume its work.
- The International Board should consider an early Validation, supported by a sub-committee of former MSG representatives from all sectors to develop recommendations for long-term public consultation.
Nineteen Organisations Sign On
A total of 19 organisations and representatives signed the November 18 declaration. The signatories are the Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Organisation of Indigenous Peoples; Amerindian Peoples Association; Transparency Institute Guyana Inc.; Red Thread; Access to Information; North Rupununi District Development Board; Guyana Workers Union; Policy Forum Guyana Selection Committee Chair; Guyana Society of the Blind; Greenheart Movement; East Coast Development Committees; Sr. Marie Harper OSU; The Breadfruit Collective; Stitching Projekta (Suriname); Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS); Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (DAR) of Peru; Green Heritage Fund Suriname; and the Trinidad and Tobago EITI.
Guyana joined EITI in 2017, committing to international transparency standards in the management of natural resources, including its rapidly expanding oil and gas sector. The tripartite MSG—comprising government, industry, and civil society—is the central decision-making body at the national level, tasked with ensuring transparent oversight of the extractive industries.
Any compromise to MSG independence could expose Guyana to corrective measures or affect its standing during EITI Validation, turning the current dispute into a major governance test at a time when resource revenues are climbing.
The International Board is meeting in Armenia, and the coalition of signatories is urging swift action to protect the integrity of the Guyana chapter. Whether the Board intervenes—and how the Government responds—will shape the future of EITI implementation in one of the world’s newest oil-producing states.
