Ryan Cummings

Release Date: November 16, 2020 The document from Policy Forum Guyana discusses the significant financial and environmental costs of Guyana’s extractive industries, particularly in mining. It highlights the discrepancy between the declared value of gold and diamond production and the government’s revenue, which is less than 10% of the total value, suggesting a loss to […]

Release Date: June 2, 2018 The document is a press release announcing the launch of the Venezuela Support Group (VSG), a coalition of eight civic and faith-based organizations in Guyana. The VSG aims to provide assistance to Venezuelans seeking refuge in Guyana, away from the crisis in their home country. They plan to work with

Release Date: January 20, 2020 The document discusses the influence of oil companies’ public relations campaigns on Guyanese perceptions of the oil industry, which often overlook critical issues such as Citizens’ Dividend, equal rights to resource benefits, and inter-generational equity. To address this, Policy Forum Guyana invited Rahul Basu of the Goa Foundation to share

Release Date: September 19, 2018 The document describes a near-tragic incident on the Upper Mazaruni River in Guyana, where a community outing was almost turned into a catastrophe due to an illegally anchored Brazilian ‘dragga’. The cable from the dragga rose out of the water, narrowly missing the passengers lying on mattresses. The incident highlights

Release Date: March 29, 2018 North Rupununi District Development Board The document discusses the concerns of North Rupununi communities regarding the potential environmental impact of a proposed reservoir construction by the IDB-funded Sustainable Agricultural Development Program. It highlights the lack of meaningful consultation with key stakeholders, the ecological significance of the Rupununi wetlands, and the

The document is a press release from three youth organizations in Guyana—Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), the UG Geographical Society (UGGS), and the UG Female Empowerment Movement (UGFEM)—demanding a greater role for young people in decision-making related to the climate crisis. They have sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings, urging for

Release Date: February 19, 2016 The document is a press release from the Guyana Policy Forum, detailing their submission of a list of individuals to the Ministry of Natural Resources for the interim civic component of the tri-partite committee managing the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It highlights the Forum’s efforts to ensure balanced representation

Release Date: April 23, 2022 The document from Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) addresses the appointment of the Board of Directors for the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) in Guyana. PFG welcomes the board’s formation but criticizes the lack of transparency and explanation regarding the selection process, particularly the inclusion of UK citizen David Lammy MP and

Release Date: March 23, 2018 The document is a press release where NGOs in Guyana welcome President David Granger’s commitment to protecting the country’s rivers, which are part of the Guiana Shield and a significant source of the world’s freshwater reserves. The release highlights the issues of river pollution from mining activities, particularly by illegal

Release Date: May 1, 2020 The document expresses concerns from various organizations about the designation of mining and petroleum as essential services in Guyana during the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights the potential risks this poses to interior communities, including increased disease transmission and environmental damage. The organizations call for the removal of mining from the