–GYEITI says data from World Governance Indicators was taken out of context by Kaieteur News

THE 2021 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report on Guyana has highlighted significant improvements in the country’s extractive sector, which includes governance, oversight, revenue mobilisation, expansion of production, employment, and other sector activities that Kaieteur News failed to capture in a recent article titled, “Guyana scores low performance on control of corruption, regulatory quality and accountability,” according to Guyana EITI (GYEITI).

“By highlighting a perception survey, which was included to show a contrast between perception and reality, the article has missed the opportunity to provide its readers with key data on the increasing contribution of the extractive sector to Guyana’s economy,” GYEITI said in a press statement on Monday.

The 2021 report, which covers payment and contextual activities in mining, oil and gas, fisheries, and forestry, fulfills the country’s ongoing commitment to implement the EITI standard, which aims to improve transparency in Guyana’s extractive sector.

“EITI Standard sets guidelines to assess the resource value chain for mining and oil and gas. Notwithstanding, Guyana, which signed on to implement the EITI principles in 2017, agreed to include fisheries and forestry under its EITI scope to strengthen transparency and accountability over key revenue-generating sources in the economy,” GYEITI said.

GYEITI’s 2021 report includes data from World Governance Indicators (WGI), which have been taken out of context by Kaieteur News.

According to GYEITI: “WGI and EITI have separate and incomparable indicators. Firstly, and more importantly, WGI is ‘a perception survey of a country’s business, households, and citizens.

“Conversely, the EITI indicators are empirical and/or fact-based. Secondly, WGI indicators are country-wide, whereas the EITI evaluates the resource value chain for the country’s mining and oil and gas sectors.”