THE second 12-member multi-stakeholder group of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) was launched on Monday at the Main Street office of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The group is responsible for implementing the standard of the global EITI, ensuring Guyana’s extractive sectors are managed transparently.

The appointees from civil society are Nicholas Fredericks, Larry Carryl, Gomin Camacho and Vanda Radzik. The alternate appointees are Diane Khan, Mike McCormack, Kerry-Ann Cort-Kansinally, and Sharmaine Rambajue.

The appointees from the industry are Jesus Bronchalo, Ryan Ramjit, Andron Alphonso, and Rafeek Khan. The alternate appointees are Joachim Vogt, Norman McLean, and Avalon Jagnandan. A fourth alternate member is yet to be nominated.

Government appointees are: Sonya Roopnauth, Hema Khan, Vanelda Harris, and Michael Monroe. The alternate members are Sean Johnson, Tarachand Balgobin, Martin Pertab, and Sharook Hussain.

Alternate members are there to attend multi-stakeholder group (MSG) meetings, if their respective primary members are absent.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat charged the newly-appointed multi-stakeholder group to work in the interest of all Guyanese.

He said: “As a government, we’re committed to ensuring there is transparency and accountability in all sectors, moreso the revenue earning sectors, which are referred to as the extractive sectors, oil and gas, mining, forestry, fisheries.

“And I want to say, too, that every single member of the MSG and the Secretariat is important to this process. There is no one that is less important than the other one, whether you’re from civil society, industry or government. We are all in this together as a team, and we hope that we can work together.”

Minister Bharrat said Guyana is quickly approaching the deadline for the submission of the third EITI report, which is December 31, 2021. This submission is the responsibility of the new MSG.

The minister noted that an extension was granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and urged the members of the MSG to make themselves available when called upon.

Minister Bharrat said he discovered, upon assuming office, that there was some confusion about the roles of the MSG and the Secretariat. So, he sought to clarify this matter.

“The multi-stakeholder group is the decision-making body for the GYEITI… and the GYEITI Secretariat is the executing agency or body or arm, and I want to make that clear… There was some kind of misunderstanding as to how the role should be,” the minister said.

The minister said he received an offer from the international EITI Secretariat to train the new MSG, and encouraged National Coordinator for the GYEITI, Dr. Rudy Jadoopat to take up the offer.

Dr. Jadoopat welcomed the members of the MSG. He said the GYEITI Secretariat is looking forward to working with them. (DPI)