The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation was not dictated by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) as is being touted by Government.This was confirmed by Roger Hernandez, Financial Advisor of CFATF, yesterday, who was asked to clarify whether CFATF dictated the legislation that is currently in a Parliamentary Special Select Committee.In October 2013,
Diego Costa Jersey, prior to Guyana being blacklisted by CFATF, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said,
Daryl Janmaat Netherlands Jersey, “CFATF has dictated and will continue to dictate the Anti-Money Laundering Bills of the world of states that are specifically treaty bound under the FATF, so let’s put to rest that perspective.”He had made it clear that the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism amendment Bill does not have to satisfy A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) but rather the CFATF,
Nick Hagglund Toronto Jersey, which dictated the Bill.According to Dr. Luncheon, the Bill arose from a multilateral evaluation report done by CFATF as it examined Guyana’s compliance with its treaty obligations. The provision in the Bill were instituted and drafted to confirm to CFATF requirements for this particular stage in the evaluation for Guyana’s compliance.However,
Jordan Rossiter Liverpool Jersey, according to Hernandez, “The legislation has not been dictated by the CFATF, draft versions of the legislation were submitted for review by the CFATF to assess compliance with outstanding recommendations and a response was sent to the authorities.”At a recent press conference,
Jeremain Lens Netherland Jersey, Leader of the Opposition David Granger said that proposals put forward in the Bill, are dangerous in that it places enormous enforcement powers on Ministers of Finance and Legal Affairs; responsibilities which should be with institutions such as the Guyana Police Force.“The Minister can have you arrested,
Red Zlatan Ibrahimovic Manchester United Jersey, the Minister can have your house searched…some of the powers proposed for the Ministers in the Bill, “are outrageous,” he stressed.According to Granger, “as far as we are concerned it is dangerous to proceed with a badly drafted Bill.”Meanwhile, Anil Nandlall Attorney General said, “outrageous powers” which Granger said is given to Ministers, are the same powers that all other Ministers throughout the Caribbean have. He said that the “powers” were handed down by the CFATF.Nandlall had said that no member of the executive could have those powers. He said that the Minister of Finance can appoint the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit and other officers but he has no power to actor intervene.