Press Releases

Release Date: November 7, 2019 PFG Convenor Mike McCormack The document details a protest by members of the Guyana Seafarer’s and General Workers Union (GS&GWU) during a Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) meeting on Oil & Gas. The seafarers are protesting alleged discriminatory hiring practices by Exxon-contracted companies, favoring Trinidadian seamen over qualified Guyanese for oil […]

Release Date: June 12, 2019 The document discusses a participatory democracy initiative in Guyana, focusing on the oil and gas sector. It highlights an event called “Fathoming The Future: What To Do About Oil & Gas,” where citizens, rather than experts, discussed and prioritized issues related to the industry. The meeting aimed to involve the

Release Date: May 12, 2021 The document expresses grave concerns over the destruction of mangroves in Malgre Tout, Guyana, criticizing the government’s defense of the act, the silence of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the disregard of local councils’ objections. It highlights the vital role of mangroves in carbon sequestration and coastal protection, especially

Release Date: August 22, 2020 The document calls for a new political approach in Guyana, emphasizing the need for participatory democracy to complement representative politics1. It criticizes the ethnic and winner-take-all politics that have led to societal polarization and suggests that reforms are unlikely to come from the current Parliament due to historical reluctance and

Release Date: January 4, 2020 The press release from Policy Forum Guyana criticizing the newly-elected President of the Guyana Gold & Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Andron Alphonso, for his stance on using miners’ electoral power in the next election and for ignoring the environmental impact of mining. It highlights the contradiction between the GGDMA’s recruitment

Release Date: January 26, 2019 This press release discusses concerns about the recently adopted Natural Resources Fund Act. Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) criticizes the lack of formal consultation and the exclusion of the parliamentary opposition during the Act’s passage, which outlines the use of oil and gas revenues. They highlight deficiencies in the Act, such

Release Date: March 19, 2022 This press release calls for the preservation of civic space in Guyana. It criticizes the Government for focusing on the past rather than the present, despite favorable political and economic circumstances, including the discovery of petroleum reserves and benefits from the war against Ukraine. The release highlights evidence of shrinking

Release Date: February 18, 2023   The document criticizes Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 for prioritizing financial gains over genuine carbon emission reductions. It argues that the LCDS allows fossil fuel companies to buy carbon credits as a way to avoid cutting emissions, which undermines the core purpose of low-carbon strategies. The text

Release Date: March 2, 2022 This release calls for independent oversight in Guyana’s extractive sector. It cites Civic concerns, recent incidents, and the need for transparency.  Click here to Download

Release Date: October 7, 2017 This release discusses the urgent need for a fundamental change in attitudes and policies in the Caribbean region following the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria. It calls for a reorientation towards prioritizing the equal value of all Caribbean lives. Click here to Download