Civil Society group Article 13 said it is concerned with recent developments at the local office Guyana-Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) where the government has terminated the services of Dr. Rudy Jadoopat as the Coordinator and replaced him with Dr. Prem Misir.

The EITI, sets the recognised standard for accountability and openness as it relates to the proceeds from the extraction of all-natural resources.

In defending its decision not to extend Dr. Jadoopat’s contract, the government claimed that he is a member of the opposition Alliance for Change. Both the AFC and Dr. Jadoopat have shot down that accusation, saying that he has never been a member of the AFC or any other political party in Guyana.

The Article 13 group in a statement said the Government’s accusation holds no weight since it has now replaced Dr. Jadoopat with a well-known supporter of the PPP, Dr. Prem Misir, who once headed the Government Information Agency under a previous PPP government.

The group said it fears that by replacing Jadoopat with Misir, the integrity of the work of GYEITI will be compromised and that Guyana and its people will be the loser internationally, among international investors and multilateral institutions.

“Article 13 calls on the Civil Society representatives of the Multi-Stakeholder Group which oversees the work of the EITI secretariat, to reconsider their participation in the MSG as offering legitimacy to a compromised organization,” the group pleaded.

Guyana became an EITI Implementing country in October 2017 and its Guyana’s Validation under the EITI Standard commenced on 1 October 2021. GYEITI has published all the Annual Reports required for the years 2017 – 2020 and the preparation of the report for 2021 is in progress.

The main opposition political parties have also called out of the Government over its decision.  

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