Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) has raised significant concerns over the appointment of Dr. Ivor English as the civil society convenor for the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), citing a potential conflict of interest due to his extensive ties to the mining sector. Despite assurances from Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat that Dr. English is not in a conflict of interest, PFG maintains that his involvement in mining concessions undermines the impartiality and governance of the role. Dr. English was granted gold-mining concessions totaling 19,586 acres in 2014, later subdivided into 17 permits, 13 of which were medium-scale mining permits. While Minister Bharrat stated that Dr. English is no longer active in gold or sand mining, Dr. English himself hinted at potential future mining activities. PFG criticized the Minister’s justification for the appointment, which emphasized Dr. English’s religious affiliation rather than addressing his mining interests. The organization also highlighted that this appointment marks the second attempt by Minister Bharrat to allegedly control civic appointments within GYEITI through opaque procedures. Earlier this year, the Minister appointed the Chair of the Private Sector Commission, a decision later reversed following intervention from the EITI International Secretariat. PFG emphasized the importance of transparent and impartial selection processes, particularly in a fragile democracy, and called for full civic engagement in the upcoming MSG meeting at the Marriott Hotel to uphold transparency and accountability in Guyana’s extractive industries.
Policy Forum Guyana maintains GYEITI’s civil society convenor in conflict of interest
