So finally A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has managed to say what it doesn’t like about the current Anti – Money Laundering (Amendment) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill after months of holding the nation at ransom. It has proposed three amendments to the bill and none of them have catered to the recommendations of Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.
The public will however find it interesting to know that one of APNU’s proposed amendments has to do with expanding the powers of the Police and Customs Department to arrest persons found with over US$10,000 in their possession. It has proposed that the police and custom officers be given the power to stop and search random persons and if such persons are found with more than US$10,000 it can be seized and the person arrested. With Guyana being cash based economy this means that persons who build houses, buy cars and walk around with large amounts of cash to go about their business could be arrested, have their money seized and be imprisoned.