Latest update March 11th, 2026 6:51 PM
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APNU raises alarm over shrinking transparency
…as oil wealth and public spending surge
(Kaieteur News) – The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has raised concerns about what it describes as a steady erosion of transparency in Guyana, warning that the trend comes at a time when the country’s oil sector is expanding rapidly and public spending is reaching unprecedented levels.
On Friday, Member of Parliament (MP) Sherod Duncan pointed to replacement of year-end press conferences by the administration with mere statements on the performance of respective ministries in December 2025.
Duncan reasoned, “All of it is to avoid scrutiny. Now if you are doing all this work and you are putting people first wouldn’t you want to engage the public? Wouldn’t you want to engage members of the media fraternity to tell of all this goodness that you are doing out there?”
APNU MP, Sherod Duncan
The MP believes that government is deliberately avoiding meaningful engagements with credible media houses like Kaieteur News as is evident in the shift from post cabinet briefings and now silence from Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who held regular press conferences on Thursdays.
Duncan pointed out the importance of such events as opposed to reporters being forced to question leaders on the sidelines of events which offer limited time for in-depth questioning to leaders, tasked with overseeing billions of dollars in public expenditure.
In fact, he believes that the increase in public spending should have resulted in greater engagements with the public and media for the purpose of transparency.
“The media barely getting some face time with government ministers who are handling billion-dollar portfolios. All the more reason why we should have seen an acceleration, a proliferation of engagement with government ministers and the government with media houses through press conferences, through all of those engagements and we have seen a significant diminution of those engagements sadly,” Duncan argued.
Meanwhile, MP Ganesh Mahipaul concluded that the lack of transparency could be to cover up “crookish behaviour.” He reasoned, “As long as you are a government official and you are prepared to face the media it means that you are honest in your dealings but if you are going to run away from the media and escape media scrutiny means you are in crookish activities.”
With billions being spent from the Natural Resource Fund or the country’s oil account, Mahipaul argued that a responsible government would inform the nation of the specific projects being funded from that source, an act that the government has failed on.
Over the past five years, the national budget grew from just $383.1 billion in 2021 to a massive $1.558 trillion in 2026. The increase in expenditure is being fueled by growth in oil revenues that are flowing to the country through the Stabroek Block operations, spearheaded by American energy giant, ExxonMobil. At the same time, Guyana’s public debt has grown to facilitate the increased spending by government which continues to attract criticisms.
The blackout of information has been a major concern for not only the media but other members of the public who took action last year against the Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson, SC for failing to fulfill his mandate in ensuring information reaches citizens.
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