Deeper focus on findings of Global Witness Report comes with great risk - Chatham House Fellow Associate

Deeper focus on findings of Global Witness Report comes with great risk – Chatham House Fellow Associate

Feb 17, 2020 News

Even though the controversial Global Witness Report called “Signed Away” calls for further investigation into the award of previous and current offshore licenses, caution must be taken to ensure Guyana does not lose focus on other important issues.

Chatham House Associate Fellow, Dr. Valerie Marcel

This was recently noted by Chatham House Associate Fellow, Dr. Valerie Marcel during her first appearance on Kaieteur Radio’s Programme, Guyana’s Oil and You. There, Dr. Marcel was asked if she agrees with the report’s call for further investigations to be conducted. To this she responded, “Yes and No.”
The Associate Fellow said, “I think the investigation that they (Global Witness) put together didn’t show really, an abuse of power or corruption that would really send all the red flags flying. I think it’s important to know if there was any wrongdoing or intended mishandling, but I don’t think they proved that point or made the case.”
Dr. Marcel said too that there is a risk that whatever investigation is undertaken by whichever party, it is being discredited as a means to counter one’s opponent. She said that there is a bigger risk that this distracts one from bigger questions. The Chatham House Associate Fellow said these include how the government is preparing for the production phase, how the government is preparing for spending this money, how the government is managing the economy, and how the government intends to oversee operators and ensure mistakes made in the past are not repeated.
Dr. Marcel said, “It seems to me that would be a more constructive focus than really in-depth investigations of mistakes that by all indications were not intentional.”