Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira on Monday contended that there was no consensus on the appointment of Abiose Thomas as the Deputy Director for the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
In her presentation on the contents of the report from the Parliamentary Committee of Appointments, Teixeira stated that “we made a decision on the Director… on the Deputy Director we feel strongly that a grave injustice has been done. We haven’t reached a consensus.”
Chairperson, Dr George Norton requested that the report be adopted by the Parliament before moving a motion for the report’s recommendations to be approved.
The Parliamentary Committee of Appointments came to a unanimous decision to appoint Matthew Edward Hugh Langevine as the Director of the FIU within the Finance Ministry, and Legal Advisor Abiose Thomas as the Deputy Director.
Both appointments follow a recommendation of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2015, Act No 1 of 2015 to select and endorse persons for the appointment as the Director, Deputy Director, Attorney and Accountant to the FIU.
The FIU functions in collaboration with the Special Organised Crime Unit, the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Finance Ministry, in identifying and trailing persons fingered in committing financial illegalities.
The Parliamentary Committee consists of Government Ministers; Chairperson, Dr George Norton, David Patterson, Amna Ally, Annette Ferguson, Cathy Hughes and PPP Members of Parliament Gail Teixeira, Dr Clive Jagan, Ganga Persaud and Juan Edghill.
According to the Committee report submitted to Parliament on Monday by Public Health Minister, Dr Norton, Thomas was shortlisted from a list of 17 candidates that applied for the position.
It was decided that she was the most suitable person for the position of the FIU Deputy Director. Her selection is subsequent to several rounds of due diligence exercises and interviews.
