By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The main opposition – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is accusing the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic of making a mockery of the Guyanese people as it relates to the contentious Anti – Money Laundering the Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill.
At a press conference on Thursday, March 6, Executive Member of the Party Basil Williams said that he is not aware that the APNU presented any ‘complex’ amendments to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Cecil Durjohn to draft.
“I don’t know that we gave them any complex amendments. I drafted some amendments myself and put it out and I don’t know what all this noise is about,” Williams said.
The country’s Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister is alleging that the amendments by the APNU continue to be a major hindrance to the Bill and that the Parliament Counsel has difficulties in drafting them.
The APNU has proposed three amendments to the Principal Act of the AML/CFT which includes for Police and Customs Officers to have the power to seize currency worth over $2M (US$10,000) and arrest persons if it is suspected that it is the proceeds of or the subject of money laundering.
Additionally, APNU also proposed that the Finance Minister no longer have the power to appoint the Director of Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and be placed in a committee of the National Assembly.
They further proposed the establishment of an authority comprising 10 persons nominated by the National Assembly after consulting with stakeholders.
Yes because they knew the consequences all those years back .Why is only now they are warning about this? All the time they washing and cleaning they were not worrying about that. Now the CFAT is saying it’s time to stop because all the laundry/cleaning/washing did not clean the city it still dirty. Now they wake up and come to warn people about consequences which they knew about all those years back. Don’t blame the Opposition , blame the PPP/Govt for doing nothing all those years when they had the majority in Parliament they kept pushing the bill under the table because their friends and family was busy washing/cleaning/laundrying,now they don’t want amendments because it plus all the loop holes with stricter oversight and removing the absolute power from one man.