(NCN News) The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) today, February 6, held a meeting with the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative to discuss how the two entities could collaborate on cultivating a culture of transparency in the natural resources sector.

Present at the meeting were President of the GCCI, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, and some of the members of the GCCI executive. For the GYEITI side, National Coordinator Dr. Rudy Jadoopat was present, along with members of the Multi-stakeholder Group (MSG), which is the GYEITI decision making body.

Dr. Jadooppat explained that much of the misinformation regarding the EITI and the requirements for persons in the extractive sectors comes from a lack of understanding of what EITI is and what the requirements are. In light of this he said that the transparency body will in the coming weeks enhance its outreach and public engagement activities.

“We want to create greater public awareness about the report so that people could read it and form their own conclusions,” said Dr Jadoopat.

Deygoo-Boyer committed to working with GYEITI, using the chambers’ well established countrywide network of chamber organisations to enhance public knowledge about the transparency initiative.

“I must say that I am very pleased with your work and I am saying that we are here to help spread the message and work to get meetings with sister organisations,” said Deygoo-Boyer.

EITI is a global initiative aimed at fostering transparency within the natural resources sector with a view to ensuring that the people of any particular country benefit from the extraction of that country’s natural resources.