Opposition holds nation to ransom : – AG, as D-day looms for AMLCFT Bill

AS the deadline of November 18, 2013 for Guyana to pass its amended Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) draws closer, Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall is voicing his concern that there may be moves by the political Opposition to further delay the bill’s passage. 

According to the minister, he has been informed that the joint Opposition may be moving to return the proposed legislation to the select committee for further consideration. This would not bode well for Guyana, as it would result in non compliance with Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) regulations and time-frame fixed, said Minister Nandlall.
Appearing as a guest on the National Communications Network’s Political Scope Programme last evening, Minister Nandlall, recalling the efforts of government to accede to the Opposition’s demands for the bill to be sent to a select committee for consideration before debate in the National Assembly, explained that despite government’s efforts, during the six- month period, during which the bill was due to be discussed and examined by both sides, the political Opposition engaged in filibustering, employing various delaying tactics which eventually led to the government’s side wrapping up the committee’s work without any substantial input from the across the bench.
No written proposal has been presented by the political opposition since the bill was sent to the select committee despite their entreaties to the media that they have amendments to make to the bill, the minister said.
The process, thus far, has not given the government any optimism that the critically needed bill will be passed in time to meet the CFATF deadline, Minister Nandlall opined.
“Assuming that everything goes well, and the Bill is passed tomorrow(today), it has to be checked and examined by the drafters for clerical and typographical errors, it has to be advertised in the Official Gazette, and then presented to the president for his assent. These things take time, and as I said , we basically have 10 days including the weekends to complete the task because the CFATF Meeting is fixed for November 18.
The petition from the Private Sector Commission calling for the passage of the bill is likely to be rejected out of hand by the Parliamentary Opposition, predicted the Minister. “These are matters that have serious implications for the stability of the country and the economy. You have a political grouping which is disregarding the entire commercial sector of the country. You have a political opposition that seems not to be representing anyone’s interest. The Private Sector Commission is an umbrella organisation which represents 18 constituent members which are representative of every facet of the commercial spectrum in the country, including the manufacturing sector, the banking sector, the insurance sector, the aviation sector, the commerce and trade sector, etc. Then FITUG, the largest grouping representing organised labour, the farmers’ organisation, have all issued statements calling upon the National Assembly to pass this Bill. All these organisations are being ignored.”
The consequences of not passing the bill are clearly understood by all these stakeholders.
In closing, Minister Nandlall said that there is no other deadline for this vital piece of legislation. “We have come to the end, it is the ninth hour, and tomorrow (today) is the final day. It is D-day for the money laundering bill. If we are unable to pass it, then the draft report which has already been prepared, which has already blacklisted Guyana will be made final. If we are able to pass that bill, and I’m able to produce the law, as passed by the parliament, to the meeting (CFAT) on November 18, then I may be able to avert that draft report becoming a final report. If not, the draft report will become the final report and Guyana will be declared non-compliant, and whoever wants to send the bill to Select Committee can do so. It will be of no consequence to the Guyanese people”.
He added that what is important to the Guyanese people is to prevent Guyana from being “Blacklisted and to prevent sanctions from being imposed.”
The need for a so-called perfect bill as described by the Opposition is pointless since CFATF is already satisfied with the piece of legislation as it currently stands, and the nation which stands to bear the brunt of sanctions must understand that government and important stakeholders have done what they can to see the passage of the bill.
If it is not passed within the time prescribed then the fault lies squarely with the Opposition. The Minister noted that, “What is unfortunate is that the Parliamentary Opposition is indeed the alternative government. If while in Opposition, they are taking such anti-commercial, anti-investment, and anti-nationalistic positions, I ask the nation to simply consider what will happen if they ever get into the government.”(GINA)