The PNCR today joined its coalition partner, the AFC, and others in condemning the PPP/C government for the removal of Dr. Rudy Jadoopat as Head of the Guyana-Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GY-EITI).
“No one doubts that the decision to remove Dr. Jadoopat was motivated by political malice and the PPP’s totalitarian instincts. His replacement by Dr. Prem Misir, known PPP operative, compounds an already disgraceful decision. None of this serves the interests of the people of Guyana”, the PNCR said in a statement.
It added that Guyanese should be aware that the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global coalition of government agencies, extractive entities and civil society organisations working together to improve transparency and accountability in the management of revenues in the oil, gas and mining sectors.
The PNCR said that if one takes a brief look back at the establishment of the GY-EITI in Guyana one would not be surprised that this day has arrived under the PPP/C government, even though the PPP/C government in 2010 expressed Guyana’s commitment to implement EITI during a meeting with EITI Regional Director. And even though, the PPP government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the PNCR said that it never sought to implement anything.
The PNCR contended that it was the coalition government in 2015, through its Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, which began the move to implement the EITI. In August 2017, Guyana submitted its application to the EITI International Secretariat and on 25 October 2017, Guyana was officially accepted as an EITI implementing country. All of this demonstrates the Coalition government’s commitment to good governance, the PNCR added.
The PNCR said that the “people of Guyana must continue to reject and penalize the PPP’s totalitarian politics and its attendant corruption and abuse of power”.