Local EITI finalises civic nominees for multi stakeholder group

– names sent to Natural Resources Minister for approval

The Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) has completed the selection process for the civic component of its Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), paving the way for the body to be reconstituted.

According to a release, eight persons have been selected for the group, which will have a number of important responsibilities including overseeing the work of the GYEITI. Two of them were selected by the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and six by a selection panel that included senior staff from the University of Guyana, the public service and local and international civil society.
The eight candidates emerging are NTC Chairman Nicholas Fredericks, Gomin Camacho, Larry Carryl, Kerry-Anne Cort, Dianna Khan, Vanda Radzik, Sharmain Rambajue and Mike McCormack of the Human Rights Association.
According to the statement, the panel arrived at final decisions through a process of individual scoring using a weighted score sheet. The score sheet criteria include scores related to candidates’ good standing and technical criteria, with a final score reflecting the candidates’ likely ability to make a positive contribution to the GYEITI.

“During the interviews, other questions were asked which explored the candidates’ understanding, capabilities, vision for the GYEITI, sense of purpose and other such factors. In each category, the average of the individual scores was taken. A minimum score of 80 per cent of the total points was established to qualify a candidate for selection to the GYEITI. The final decisions reflect the belief of the entire panel.”
The panel also presented a report containing recommendations to the Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), the body charged with the selection process. It was explained that in a follow-up meeting the final designation of representatives and alternates will be mutually agreed on as the first step in developing a team approach.
It was further explained that the names will be forwarded to Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, who has the responsibility for convening the first meeting of the new multi stakeholder group.
“With respect to the selection process, advertisements were placed in the national media and over fifty individual organisations targeted directly. Written requirements included a personal letter, an application form, three letters of support from civic organisations and a short comment on the GYEITI second Report.”
“All this material was sent directly to an email address under the control of the selection panel. Interviews, lasting approximately half of an hour, were conducted by the panel over a three days period in late July,” the release explained.
The panel’s Report also commented in general on candidates. “We found all of the candidates to be well-informed people with a deep concern for Guyana’s development and deep interest in public and civic matters. Each had a good track record of work in major Guyanese institutions over a number of years. Six of them are currently engaged in working with public-interest groups. All the candidates were very aware of the GYEITI, and with one exception, all had a sound understanding of its scope, purpose and goals.”
Meanwhile, a number of recommendations were made by the selection panel. These recommendations include the MSG establishing a contact group of persons that would enable the MSG to benefit from an extended range of expertise.
Additionally, it was recommended that the GYEITI develop links with other EITIs around the world to share ideas and work towards establishing best practices. And while GTEITI reports serve their purpose, it was noted that there should be a more popular version of the report.
The EITI is a global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas, and mineral resources. Under the EITI standard, companies in the extractive sector publish what they pay to Governments, and Governments publish what they receive in an annual EITI country report.
In many countries, most of the revenues from natural resources accrued at subnational levels are not derived from company payments to Local Government entities, but from transfers to the Central Government.
Depending on the revenue distribution frameworks in place, these transfers can be a considerably larger source of revenue for subnational entities than taxes and fees collected at local levels. The revised EITI standard requires that such transfers are reported.
Where companies are legally or contractually required to make social contributions, these must be disclosed, under EITI standards. Where countries collect significant revenues from the transportation of oil, gas and minerals, such as pipelines, the Government will also be required to disclose the revenues received.