Introduction
President Irfaan Ali was visibly upset by the disclosure in the Stabroek News of Guyana’s suspension from the Norway-based Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The body was formed in London in June 2003 when representatives from governments, companies, industry groups, international and civil society organisations agreed to the EITI principles and establishing the EITI as a multi-stakeholder international group.
A recurring theme of EITI’s principles was accountability and transparency. The objective was to reverse the history and experiences which showed that the benefits of oil, gas and mining activity were not being realised but rather were associated with poverty, conflict and corruption.