FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Guyana Anti-Corruption Network Condemns Blockade of Parliamentary Delegation to Marudi; Calls for Immediate Investigation
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – March 26, 2026 – The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) is demanding answers following reports that a parliamentary delegation from the People’s National Congress (PNC), led by Opposition Leader in Parliament Terrence Campbell, was blocked from entering Marudi Mountain by officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Police Force at Bushmouth Checkpoint.
The Network views this action as a direct assault on parliamentary oversight and a blatant obstruction of the public’s right to know the truth about the ongoing illegal activities plaguing the Marudi mining district.
For months, the Guyana Anti-Corruption Network has documented and reported on widespread irregularities in Marudi, including:
· The presence of foreign nationals with criminal records operating in the area;
· Alleged mining activities conducted under invalid permits belonging to a dissolved co-op;
· Violations of Indigenous peoples’ rights to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC);
· Reports of environmental degradation and security threats, including illegal airstrips.
The GACN notes that our persistent reporting, alongside coverage from other media houses, has successfully brought these critical issues to the attention of Members of Parliament. It is precisely this type of democratic scrutiny—by elected officials seeking to investigate potential corruption and illegality—that must be protected.
The decision by state agencies to physically bar a parliamentary delegation from entering a zone of such intense public concern raises grave questions:
1. What are the authorities trying to hide?
2. On whose authority were the GGMC and Police acting?
3. Why is the state preventing its own elected representatives from verifying facts on the ground?
“This blockade is an unacceptable overreach. If members of parliament cannot access areas to investigate credible reports of corruption without being turned away by state agencies, then Guyana’s democracy is in serious trouble,” said a representative of the Guyana Anti-Corruption Network. “The Marudi situation involves potential national security risks and massive financial crimes. Blocking oversight only fuels the suspicion that powerful interests are colluding to protect wrongdoing.”
The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network calls on the Minister of Natural Resources and the Commissioner of Police to immediately explain the legal basis for preventing the delegation’s entry. Furthermore, we demand that all barriers be removed to allow for an unimpeded, transparent investigation into the allegations of illegal mining, environmental destruction, and corruption at Marudi Mountain.
The GACN remains committed to shining a light on corruption and holding both public officials and private actors accountable, regardless of the obstacles placed in our path.
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