Close Menu
DemocracyGuyana.comDemocracyGuyana.com

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest news from DemocracyGuyana.com

    What's Hot

    Lamborghinis, Lies & Loot: How the Mohameds Built a Corrupt Empire of Fraud, Flaunted Wealth, and Ultimately Got Caught with Their Pants Down by US law enforcement, While Also Attempting to Buy Respect, Evading Taxes, and Being Exposed by the Truth

    May 30, 2025

    ELECTIONS 2025 SET FOR SEPTEMBER 1– PRESIDENT IRFAAN ALI HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE

    May 29, 2025

    From Sanctions to Political Office: The Audacity of Azruddin Mohamed—Guyana’s Biggest Political Joke. There are alleged rumours in Guyana that Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed will be extradited to the U.S. for trial.

    May 29, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • About DG
    • Join as Volunteers
    • Become a Member
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube TikTok
    DemocracyGuyana.comDemocracyGuyana.com
    Jet Global Airways
    • Home
    • Diaspora
    • Guyana News
    • Global News
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Business Opportunities
    • Advertise with us
    • Photo Gallery
    • Videos
    • World Newspapers
    • Contact Us
    DemocracyGuyana.comDemocracyGuyana.com
    Home»Featured»Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance responds to OGGN
    Featured

    Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance responds to OGGN

    Joel BhagwandinBy Joel BhagwandinNo Comments3 Mins Read7,881 Views
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Telegram Tumblr Email
    Joel Bhagwandin
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The Minister’s attention was drawn to a letter published in the Sunday’s edition of the Stabroek News dated March 16, 2025, authored by members of the Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) captioned, “Minister Teixeira must address UN concerns on Access to Information Act”.

    The authors mentioned therein two unjustified claims that (i) the Access to Information Act, having been invoked to access tax information for ExxonMobil Guyana and its co-ventures, and their failure to obtain same thereunder, suggests that there are inadequacies of the Act, or some deliberate efforts to hide information, and (ii) that they are unable to access the oil companies tax certificates [from other referenced sources], suggesting that they have some degree of legal right to obtain same.

    It would be interesting to note that the information that the aforementioned group is seeking – is readily available and accessible within the public domain, vis-à-vis, the oil companies’ financial statements, which can be obtained from the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority.

    By law, companies operating in Guyana are required to file their annual tax returns with the Deeds and Commercial Registries. For the avoidance of doubt, the information being sought concerns the tax certificate issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) that represents the oil companies’ share of taxes, which is to be paid from Government’s share of profit oil in accordance with the Petroleum Agreement (2016).  Although third parties shall not have access to taxpayers’ data from the GRA in accordance with the law; insofar as the tax certificate is concerned issued by the GRA to the oil companies or any other company for that matter the tax information, notwithstanding, can be extracted from the companies’ financial statements. Commonsensically, this group (OGGN), which is made up of seasoned attorneys, accountants and economists, ought to know that they can independently ascertain the tax information that they seek from the financial statements, which can be obtained from the Deeds and Commercial Registries as previously mentioned.

    Furthermore, their attention is drawn to Section 15 of the Access to Information Act, which states that: “A person shall not apply under this Act for access to” –

    • A document which contains information that is open to public access or an official website, as part of a public

      register or otherwise, in accordance with any other written law, where even that access is subject to a fee or other charge;

    • A document which contains information that is available for purchase by the public in accordance with

      arrangements made by a public authority;

    • A document that is available for public inspection in a registry maintained by the Registrar General, National

      Archives, Parliament or other public authority.

    As a result of this Act, as connectivity improved over the years, government policy requires government and state agencies to post information on their websites in a timely fashion ensuring the public is well informed in accordance with the Act.

    It should be noted that Guyana’s Access to Information Act was modelled on and adopted wholesale the above-mentioned section and others of its Canadian counterpart before a Parliamentary Special Select Committee and passage in the National Assembly.

    Against the foregoing, we wish to categorically reject the OGGN’s baseless aspersions, and we urge that in the future, they do their homework thoroughly.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Joel Bhagwandin
    Joel Bhagwandin

    Related Posts

    Lamborghinis, Lies & Loot: How the Mohameds Built a Corrupt Empire of Fraud, Flaunted Wealth, and Ultimately Got Caught with Their Pants Down by US law enforcement, While Also Attempting to Buy Respect, Evading Taxes, and Being Exposed by the Truth

    ELECTIONS 2025 SET FOR SEPTEMBER 1– PRESIDENT IRFAAN ALI HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE

    From Sanctions to Political Office: The Audacity of Azruddin Mohamed—Guyana’s Biggest Political Joke. There are alleged rumours in Guyana that Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed will be extradited to the U.S. for trial.

    It is the opposition that is not ready for an election

    Posturing is important

    Shashi Tharoor’s Diplomatic Visit to Guyana: Strengthening Ties and Addressing Global Terrorism

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Top Posts

    What do you make of it? by Leonard Craig

    November 18, 2024744K Views

    President Irfaan Ali Emphasises Discipline and Accountability Over Project Delays

    November 13, 2024566K Views

    The Hollow Ambitions of Nigel Hughes: A Political Opportunist and Exhibitionist with Empty Promises.

    July 11, 2024100K Views
    Don't Miss

    Lamborghinis, Lies & Loot: How the Mohameds Built a Corrupt Empire of Fraud, Flaunted Wealth, and Ultimately Got Caught with Their Pants Down by US law enforcement, While Also Attempting to Buy Respect, Evading Taxes, and Being Exposed by the Truth

    In what is shaping up to be one of Guyana’s most disgraceful spectacles of deception,…

    ELECTIONS 2025 SET FOR SEPTEMBER 1– PRESIDENT IRFAAN ALI HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE

    May 29, 2025

    From Sanctions to Political Office: The Audacity of Azruddin Mohamed—Guyana’s Biggest Political Joke. There are alleged rumours in Guyana that Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed will be extradited to the U.S. for trial.

    May 29, 2025

    It is the opposition that is not ready for an election

    May 29, 2025
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    • WhatsApp
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Latest Reviews
    72

    Over 50 poisoned at wedding in Iraq

    8.9

    EAM Jaishankar Meets Guyanese PM Mark Phillips, Discuss Energy, Disaster Resilience And Defence Cooperation

    Most Popular

    What do you make of it? by Leonard Craig

    November 18, 2024744K Views

    President Irfaan Ali Emphasises Discipline and Accountability Over Project Delays

    November 13, 2024566K Views

    The Hollow Ambitions of Nigel Hughes: A Political Opportunist and Exhibitionist with Empty Promises.

    July 11, 2024100K Views
    Our Picks

    Lamborghinis, Lies & Loot: How the Mohameds Built a Corrupt Empire of Fraud, Flaunted Wealth, and Ultimately Got Caught with Their Pants Down by US law enforcement, While Also Attempting to Buy Respect, Evading Taxes, and Being Exposed by the Truth

    May 30, 2025

    ELECTIONS 2025 SET FOR SEPTEMBER 1– PRESIDENT IRFAAN ALI HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE

    May 29, 2025

    From Sanctions to Political Office: The Audacity of Azruddin Mohamed—Guyana’s Biggest Political Joke. There are alleged rumours in Guyana that Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed will be extradited to the U.S. for trial.

    May 29, 2025
    Popular Categories
    • Global News
    • Election Rigging
    • Sports
    • Special News
    Do you want to associate with us
    • Business Opportunities
    • Advertise with us
    • Contact Us
    • www.democracyguyana.com Guyana – London – India

      For more information, contact us.
    DemocracyGuyana.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • About DG
    • Become a Member
    • Join as Volunteers
    • Forum
    • Advertise with us
    DG BRANCHES: GUYANA, USA, CANADA, UK, CARIBBEAN, AND INDIA
    © 2025 DemocracyGuyana.com.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.