Government, civil society clash deepens over GYEITI control

Apr 09, 2026 News

---

Kaieteur News – The standoff over Guyana’s natural resources watchdog has erupted into a full-blown confrontation, with government and civil society now locked in a bitter dispute over the legitimacy of the country’s transparency framework.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, announced that the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG)—the decision-making body of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has received the “green light” from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative International Secretariat to resume its work. But that declaration has been met with fierce resistance from Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), which is accusing both the government and the international body of undermining the very principles of transparency the initiative was designed to uphold.

Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), Convener, Mike McCormack, branded the International Secretariat’s decision as “unprincipled” and a betrayal of the global transparency standard’s core values. According to Minister Bharrat, Policy Forum Guyana has “still refused to submit their two members,” even after allegedly being urged to do so by the International Secretariat itself. The push to activate the MSG comes as Guyana faces a June 2026 Board meeting where its compliance with global transparency standards will be revisited.

In an invited comment, McCormack did not mince words, accusing the International Secretariat of ignoring government “shenanigans” simply because Guyana has become a “main player” in the global oil and gas arena. “The International Secretariat is prepared to overlook all this… because they don’t want Guyana to be out of E-ITI,” McCormack stated. “They’re more concerned with the politics of it. They want to be in contact with Guyana because Guyana’s suddenly become a main player in the oil and gas world. But their position is quite unprincipled.”

McCormack revealed that the Secretariat had personally reached out to PFG leadership, asking them to “take up two places” to bridge the gap. PFG refused, arguing that doing so would implicitly endorse a selection process they believe was hijacked by the government.

The Battle for Independence

The dispute centers on EITI Requirement 1.4, which mandates that civil society must be able to select its own representatives independently. PFG alleges the Ministry of Natural Resources effectively “knocked out” their independent selection process, replacing it with a government-managed appointment system.

McCormack warned that the International Secretariat’s current path risks reducing the GYE-ITI to a mere “department of the Ministry.” He cited the Ministry’s move to advertise for an independent administrator, a task legally reserved for the MSG, as evidence that the Permanent Secretary is now “calling all the shots.”

A Divided International Board

While the Secretariat in Oslo appears eager to move forward, McCormack claimed the International Board remains fractured. He noted that the “civic component” of the global board is “100% behind” the Guyanese civil society holdouts. “As it is now, Policy Forum does not and will not form part of the MSG,” McCormack stated, reiterating that Guyana should be suspended until an “independent and impartial” selection process is restored.

With the MSG currently operating with the following groups as part of the civil society complement- Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (alternate), National Toshaos Council (primary and alternate) Guyana Youth Environment Network (alternate) and Guyana Agricultural and General Workers (Primary), the legal and ethical standing of its future decisions, including the approval of critical extractive sector reports, remains under a cloud of controversy.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global standard to promote open and accountable management of natural resources. It seeks to strengthen government and company systems, include civil society participation, inform public debates, and enhance trust. Part of GYEITI’s role is the publishing of detailed reports that provide a comprehensive view of government revenues stemming from the extractive sector. This includes transparent disclosure of all significant payments made by companies involved in the oil, gas, mining, forestry, and fisheries sectors. PFG in a previous statement explained that the reconstitution of the MSG, required every three years, was due since November 2024 but was delayed because the 2024 GYEITI Report was not finalised until mid-December 2024. Further, on January 21, 2025, PFG publicly advertised the application process for civic representatives to the MSG in the press and later, on social media. Applications, it said, were reviewed and finalised, and the list of nominees was submitted to Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie on March 14, 2025, and to the Minister on April 9, 2025.

 

---

• extractive, Guyanam, industries, Transparency, unprincipled

---