Anti-money laundering Bill gets second

life…AFC again ties support to

Procurement Commission

Government, late Thursday night, successfully managed to bring back the troubled anti-money laundering legislation but there will be no passage until it is screened by a special Parliamentary committee.
Government has opened the window for possible passage before the end of January.
During a raucous sitting of the National Assembly, the seven-seat Alliance For Change (AFC) made it clear that it will also continue to tie its support to the legislation for the establishment of a functioning Public Procurement Commission.
A Partnership For National Unity (APNU), in allowing the amendments back after voting it down last month, said that it should never have left the special select committee in the first place.

Critical anti-money laundering legislations were successfully tabled by Government Thursday night after being voted down last month.

The proposed new laws are essential to ensure Guyana complies with international requirements to fight money laundering and preventing dirty money from being used to finance terrorism.
However, since being introduced earlier this year, the Opposition-controlled Parliament refused to be rushed into passing the amendments. The opposition sent it to a special select committee. However, after several delays and facing a November review by the regional regulator, Government moved to table the bills. The Opposition protested saying that work was not completed and promptly voted it down. Guyana was blacklisted when the Caribbean Financial Action Taskforce met in the Bahamas in November.
Last month, following a review, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) notified its member countries to put counter measures in place when dealing with Guyana’s finances given the risks involved.
Government has warned the “blacklisting” will affect payment for oil, family remittances, payment for goods and a host of other transactions that could virtually cripple trade. Businesses have reported delays in money transfers through the banks with the exchange rates already moving up.
Negative effects
During the debate Thursday night, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, said that it will take some time for the negative effects from the “blacklisting” to seep in given relationship with corresponding banks already recording changes.
He insisted that CFATF officials have been working with Guyana to take steps in ensuring compliance, with 98 per cent of these changes legislative in nature.
Any changes to the legislations which have been approved by the regional body will only result in more delays and see business transactions affected even more badly.
APNU’s Carl Greenidge, a Member of Parliament and a former Finance Minister, stressed that the amendments have seen recommendations of changes from organizations like the Guyana Bar Association.
He denied that Government’s warnings of negative effects are happening, describing these as “scare mongering”.
Greenidge also criticised Government for not seriously attempting to deal with money laundering.
He said that legislations were passed in 2000 but that there were no significant cases of asset seizures and prosecution.
He pointed to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which is charged with implementation of the laws, and which for the longest while has only one staffer.
Not serious
He pointed to cases where persons, caught committing crimes like fuel smuggling, were let off with a slap on the wrist.
Greenidge also criticised what he believed is an obsession of the Government for control, wanting to appoint all officers who are supposed to be independent—people like the Chief Justice, Commissioner of Police, Director of Public Prosecutions and of course, the FIU.
APNU will not lend support until the issues are addressed.
Chief Whip of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic, Gail Teixeira, also expressed worry over hardships for Guyanese because of the non-passage of the legislations.
It will be ordinary people doing bank transfers who are affected. She urged the Opposition to “smell the roses”.
Even if the Bills are passed now, it will be difficult to reverse the damage, she said, urging that the House finish its special committee work on the proposed legislations and have the Bill returned for passage before the end of January.
According to AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, his party is linking the Bill to the timely establishment of functioning Public Procurement Commission. The body will oversee the award of Government contracts but there have been years of delay despite the laws passed.
He too was critical of the fact that despite the passage of laws, the administration seemed not too interested in enforcing them.
He too downplayed the negative effects of the “blacklisting” saying that the bankers have not been reporting these.
According to Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, there have been reports of accounts closed and large manufacturing businesses being affected.
He was highly critical of the motives of the Opposition. The nation is being held at ransom by the Opposition, he said.