Natural Resources Minister sets record straight on GYEITI Head

(Photo: Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat; Former head of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Dr. Rudy Jadoopat)

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat is refuting claims that the Government fired former head of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Dr. Rudy Jadoopat. In fact, the Minister noted that Dr. Jadoopat was re-interviewed to continue in this position as his contract ended close to a year ago.

Bharrat was at the time responding to a statement released by the Alliance for Change (AFC), which stated that the Government terminated the Economist’s contract “to deny adequate professional scrutiny of the proceeds of the extractive sector – oil revenues in particular.”

However, Minister Bharrat noted that Dr. Jadoopat was initially handpicked for the position by the former APNU+AFC Government as a result of his ties to the AFC.

“He never applied for that position when the APNU+AFC was in government, he was placed there because he was an executive member of the AFC at that time. His contract ended almost a year ago under our government but we kept him in the position while we go through an open process of recruiting a head,” the Minister explained.

He noted that the position was advertised in the local newspapers for which the former Head applied and was interviewed.

“Mr. Jadoopat was fully aware because he applied for the position, he was even interviewed for the position and now, because he is not the number one ranked candidate…he has the AFC sending out a statement,” the Natural Resources Minister told Big Smith News Watch.

The successful candidate for the position was well-known Professor, Dr. Prem Misir.

Guyana became an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Implementing country on 25th October, 2017. The EITI implements the global standard to promote the open and accountable management of oil, gas and mineral resources.

The EITI Standard requires the disclosure of information along the extractive industry value chain from the point of extraction, to how revenues make their way through the government, and how they benefit the public.

By doing so, the EITI said on its website that it seeks to strengthen public and corporate governance, promote understanding of natural resource management, and provide the data to inform reforms for greater transparency and accountability in the extractives sector. There are 56 implementing countries, according to the body’s website.