Which of the 24 Santiago Principles is matched by which numbered Article in the Natural Resource Fund Act 2021?

Jay Mobeen asserts that ‘babbling Glen Lall and others who agitated against the NRF … were disingenuous. For weeks they peddled misinformation to a nation, woefully ignorant of the bill. This couldn’t have been more glaring than the massive sign held up outside the Assembly by opposition protestors. This sign demanded the inclusion of the…

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Cabinet’s hydro project ‘no objection’ may be ill-advised

A reader might be misled by the Government’s current enthusiasm to start construction of this small dam (by global standards) in the remote Kuribrong River; SN 01 November ‘Cabinet gives China Railway ‘no objection’ for Amaila hydro project’.  The Cabinet appears to have been persuaded by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo that the Norwegian advisers, Norconsult,…

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Guyana as dumpsite for petroleum wastes

Guyana is often mentioned for less than stellar reasons. There’s Jonestown (‘(s)he drank the Kool Aid’), rigged elections, the poorest country after Haiti in CARICOM and Latin America, the costliest failed infrastructural project in CARICOM (US$250M Skeldon sugar factory), and failed or captured regulatory agencies. Standouts among the latter was the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)…

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Takeaways from Environmental Assessment Board’s ‘public hearing’ on Vista Trading impact study waiver

The Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) is appointed by the Natural Resources Minister and comprises three persons. No qualifications or experience are listed in the Environmental Protection (EP) Act for EAB members.  The EAB Commissioners for the 2021 calendar year are Mr Omkar Lochan (Chair, third year of service on the EAB), Ms Pradeepa Bholanauth, who…

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