By: Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News|
Guyana’s push for stronger human rights protection, transparency, and accountability took centre stage on Tuesday as stakeholders called on government institutions to strengthen access to information and reinforce governance systems.
The discussions formed part of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance’s fourth annual Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Expo and panel discussion, held under the theme “Our Everyday Essentials: Rights and Integrity.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Guyana Resident Representative, Katy Thompson, underscored the central role of transparent, accountable, and people-centred governance in protecting human rights. She emphasised that effective access to information is fundamental to enabling citizens to make informed decisions and to ensuring that accountability mechanisms function properly.
Thompson stressed that all segments of society must be able to access information equitably in order to participate meaningfully in governance and to safeguard their rights.
Following her presentation, Stabroek News Editor-in-Chief Anand Persaud highlighted the growing concerns within civil society regarding Guyana’s access to information framework. He noted that activists, members of the media, and civic groups have been advocating for reforms to improve public access to information as a critical tool in the fight against corruption.
Persaud pointed to dissatisfaction with the performance of the Office of the Commissioner of Information, stating that the lack of responsiveness has forced stakeholders to seek redress through external avenues, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. He argued that such matters should be addressed domestically through stronger institutional accountability.
Responding to these criticisms, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, defended the government’s transparency record. He asserted that access to information should not be viewed as the responsibility of a single office, but rather as a shared obligation across multiple state institutions.
Dr. Singh maintained that a wide range of information has been placed in the public domain through various complementary channels, which he said demonstrates the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration’s commitment to openness and transparency under President Irfaan Ali.
He further cautioned against conflating civil society advocacy with what he described as political activism operating under the guise of civic engagement.
Earlier this year, several picketing exercises were held by civil society groups calling for accountability within the Office of the Commissioner of Information, which is currently held by retired Justice Charles Ramson. Protesters urged the President to intervene and also renewed calls for legislative reform aimed at decentralising access to information processes and strengthening enforcement mechanisms.
The panel discussion reflected ongoing national debate over governance, accountability, and the role of information access in protecting human rights in Guyana.
