United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, on Friday announced a significant grant designed to help the Government of Guyana advance accountability and transparency in the extractive industries.

The United States will provide the Carter Center with US$297,000 to facilitate a series of programmes with the Ministry of Natural Resources that will help Guyana comply and develop an acceptable candidacy submission at the EITI.

The Carter Center will implement the project which will run over a 12 month period to lay the groundwork and  develop candidacy documents required by EITI Secretariat.

Ambassador Holloway is confident that the programme will strengthen the work of the government in [promoting transparency in the country’s extractive industries at a time when Guyana is preparing to welcome future growth in the petroleum industry.

“The whole government has been working very hard on Guyana’s EITI candidacy and I want to commend them all for taking this project which has its roots in the previous administration and getting us closer to making EITI a reality,” he added.

Currently, only 51 countries worldwide are implementing EITI standards, of which 31 are already listed as compliant.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said Guyana looks forward to fostering improved investment climate with this level of commitment to transparency.

He explained that Guyana looks forward to its entry into the EITI framework to ensure that all its natural resources are managed efficiently.

This grant will allow the Carter center to help Guyana reach certain benchmarks for acceptance into the EITI framework.

Trotman said this level of open, transparent and accountable governance was integral for sustainable development to take place.

He was backed up and supported my Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson who were both present at the simple ceremony at the US Embassy.

Mr. Jason Calder, who is the Carter Center country Rep for Guyana said the program will help to build stakeholder understanding, capacity, and dialogue necessary for Guyana’s compliance.

It will; also support a review of laws and regulations necessary to identify the changes necessary along with enabling the government to develop an acceptable candidacy document and work plan for submission to the EITI Secretariat.  (Kurt Campbell)

Related posts:

President and Civil Society groups clash over transparency, accountability and pace of official decision-making US Announces US$500,000 transparency and good governance project for Guyana’s extractive industry Guyana launches Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Jagdeo accuses government of corruption and lack of transparency in new Speciality Hospital deal