AFC’s position on money laundering bill shamelessly irresponsible – Finance Minister

AFC's profound childish exposures as elected MPs.

Look what Moses, Ramjhaaaaaaaaaatan and GR are doing for the POOR Citizens of Guyana. A  SELFISH, MONEY HUNGRY BUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually this is a shrewd move by the opposition to get the Jagdeo benefits roll back and the financial accountability bill. This is done in the US all the time. You folks should know this, over the past 4 years and the issues Obama had with the republicans and the compromises he made.

Putting POOR People lives at stake may be a Card Game for you but NOT the Guyanese People!!!!

These fools do not understand how parliament works. They just blabber their mouths all day. 

They are like peacocks - more substance in their tails than in their heads. 

The JACKASS Speaks. You really know how everything works!!!! Sometimes I does wonder about you.

At least I'm a lot more intelligent than a dumb ass like you. It does not take a rocket scientist to file away Financial Aid forms. My ten year old nephew can do that. 

Poor Guyana, how will they receive remittances? Country gone fo channa now?

Had the PPP Govt worked above board none of this would have occurred, they are a bunch of misfits trying to run a country into the ground.

Every blasted time things don't go their way, they cry foul.

"If the bill is not passed, Guyana will be placed on a list with other non-conforming countries, and would be visited with a regime of sanctions which will include restrictions in the manner in which business is done internationally, especially involving wire transfers of funds. Once placed on that list, it takes an average of approximately seven years to come off, during which time the country would have to go through a series of stringent scrutiny of its procedures used when transacting business across the borders."

The Guyanese populace should not be held captive by the joint opposition in their sinister bid to score cheap political points

The opposition got yall rass in a pickle eh? Good. When all is done above board then things will look up but until then I say, "screw 'em good"

The PPP/C would not only be affected, the Guyanese populace will feel the blunt of the sanctions, the blame will be solely at the feet of the joint opposition

BULLSHIT!  So you wanna blame the opposition for the Govt's inability to do things above board...as said b4, screw em. The country is already in the latrine it cannot get much lower.

Its clear for the Guyanese Populace to see, the joint opposition is hell bent on frustrating the development of the country, and tries at any opportunity to make the country ungovernable

I guess this is where I'll say, Shut yo rass.

The joint opposition could never justify their sinister motives to don't support the Money Laundering Bills

You  were fed a lot of shit and now you come here to spew it. You are such a dunce.

The goons of the joint opposition are at full throttle doing damage control, the Guyanese populace are seeing the sinister motives of the joint opposition and are greeting them with cold shoulders when they spread propaganda in the constituencies.

you are paid to post. We do so on our own time. We do so for the love of country. You do so for the love of the opportunity to raid its coffers.

Councie you are a paid poster. You deserve no respect.

Too many of our people remain poor, too many children and mothers are dying at childbirth but yet we have money to build the Marriott Hotel but not to fix the basic healthcare system. We have money to build a new airport with only one airline (Caribbean Airlines) to service the more than 500,000 Guyanese in the Diaspora but not to rebuild the road on the East Bank of Berbice. We have money to build a new Specialty Hospital, but the government has poorly managed the public hospitals which are understaffed and without adequate medical supplies.

Councie.....tell dem wha yuh getting paid to do.

 - threatens to withdraw support for amendments to financial crimes Bill

Khemraj Ramjattan

A political battlefield is being set up for the days ahead with the seven-seat Parliamentary party, Alliance for Change (AFC), threatening to withdraw support for the amendments to the law on financial crimes unless its demands are met.
The AFC has two demands. It wants President Donald Ramotar to re-consider withholding his assent to two Bills piloted by the opposition-controlled house. The party also wants the government to set a deadline for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) which will help halt corruption in the award of contracts funded by the public purse.
The legislation under consideration is the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing Terrorism Act (AMLCFTA).
Non-passage of the legislation could shame the government for failing to act and could put the country on an international blacklist for not doing enough to combat money laundering and stopping financing for terrorism.  A Special Parliamentary Committee was set up to examine and tidy up the amendments proposed by the government. The AFC is participating in the work of the Commission, but when the amendments come up for a vote on May 22, the AFC could withhold its support.
The AFC holds the balance of power in the National Assembly. Any intentions of the majority parties in the House – APNU and the ruling PPP – can be paralysed without the AFC’s backing.
The President has refused to give his assent to the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill and the Former Presidents (Facilities and Other Benefits) Bill, saying that the Bills are in conflict with the constitution.  Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC, said that the position of the President is outrageous and that the argument about the constitutionality of the Bills is “wholly unmeritorious” and “totally ridiculous.”
“This government (disrespects) the National Assembly and the people’s elected representatives,” Ramjattan declared yesterday.
He said that the AFC is ready to get into “hard dealing” with the government because its demands are not unreasonable.
In the case of the Former Presidents (Facilities and Other Benefits), Ramjattan said it is reasonable for the National Assembly to demand that the benefits of former Presidents be capped.
The original law, signed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, gives him unlimited access to vehicles, security guards, gardeners and cooks in addition to his cash pension which amounts to $1.2 million a month.
Further, Ramjattan said that the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill was intended to enhance good governance and streamline accountability.
Regarding the demand for the Public Procurement Commission, Ramjattan said the ruling party has refused to identify its nominees.
He said that wanting this Commission in place is not unreasonable, as it is a “right” for the Commission to be set up. He said that the absence of the Commission is why corruption continues.
The government is due to defend its efforts to stem financial crimes when the Plenary Meeting of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) meets in Managua, Nicaragua from May 27 to May 30. The government attempted to force passage of the amendments two Tuesdays ago but the opposition forced the setting up of the Special Committee to examine the government’s proposal, saying the legislation is too important to be rushed.
Those on the Committee from the government side are Chief Whip Gail Teixeira (who chairs the Committee), Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall. On the opposition side, Khemraj Ramjattan is representing the Alliance For Change, while A Partnership for National Unity named Deborah Backer, Joseph Harmon, Basil Williams and Carl Greenidge. Further, the government was chided for bringing the amendments to the House at the last minute.
The government was put on notice at least twice before by the CFATF to amend the legislation, but only tabled it last month.
The CFATF is the Caribbean branch of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international body which examines a country’s efforts to stem money laundering and dictate what new measures need to be enforced.
In the third round Mutual Evaluation Report, which was adopted by the CFATF Council of Ministers in May 2011 in Honduras, Guyana was placed on expedited follow-up and required to report at every Plenary.
Guyana was rated partially compliant or noncompliant on 16 Core and Key Recommendations and 25 other Recommendations.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had called the position adopted by the AFC “shamelessly irresponsible.”
“What the AFC is essentially saying is that, irrespective of how important this Bill is, or what the consequences of its non-approval would be, they are not prepared to support it because there are other political issues on which they wish to extract concessions from the government,” Minister Singh said.

Doesn't come as a surprise from Ashni Singh, he seems quite capable of talkin shit and you councie we know is quite capable to repeat same.

Pressure does mek pipe buss.

I rather File fafsa than Dig Toilet, Clean Sewer AND Dry Chowmein.

Where those your previous jobs before the one you got now? Nothing wrong with any of that work, somebody got to do it and if is you, well go for it banna.

The time has come for the joint opposition to stop playing partisan politics, and co-operate with the democratically elected government towards the development of the country. Lets put Guyana first

No one in their right mind will ever co-operate with corrupted people.

At the end of the day, the interest of the Guyanese populace should be place on the National Assembly front burner

Quite Correct!

So when will the PPP Govt plan on doing the right thing and place the interest of the Guyanese populace on this front burner you speak of?

amm, like the opposition? 

Again, another correct post. Yes, the opposition is in their right mind to not cooperate with the corrupt PPP Govt.

Let me make this simple. Are you say that APNU should not cooperate with the PPP or APNU and AFC or AFC alone? 

This is what the conversation is about.

The time has come for the joint opposition to stop playing partisan politics

On one hand your comrades cursing out APNU and here you're supporting them. I don't understand. I thought you was backing AFC? 

You seem a perfect fit with the dense ones here.