By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The contentious Anti – Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Amendment (AML/CFT) Bill can be passed within 48 hours; however the government will have to abandon its “winner – takes – all” attitude, Opposition Leader David Granger told a news conference on Friday, May 30.
Guyana has been further blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) as a result of legislators’ failure to amend the current AML/CFT Bill.
The main opposition – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – is not taking the blame for the blacklisting and is instead blaming the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government.
The blame game between the two sides has been ongoing for months now, followed by several fruitless meetings. In the meantime, Granger told reporters today that the amended Act can be passed in the National Assembly in 48 hours if the government concedes to several demands of the Opposition; something with the government refuses to do.
On Thursday, the minority opposition – Alliance For Change (AFC) – told a news conference that the Bill can be passed in 72 hours, but Granger believes that 72 hours is “too long”.
To decide on a way forward, another meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday, June 2 between Granger and President Donald Ramotar.
Following the CFATF further blacklisting, Ramotar in a statement called for the Opposition to pass the Bill “conditionally”; in response, Granger said, “It is not going to happen.”
Granger is another Forbes Burnham. His arrogance is literally going to create further hardships for Guyanese if this bill is not signed. Guyana will, if not already done, end up on the list that will label it as a country conspiring in money laundering for terrorists. Guyanese, you think things are bad now, it will get 1000 times worst if that happens.