Will it be the straw to break the camel’s back: Parliament to consider Anti – Money Laundering Amendment Bill today

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Guyana will know its fate today [November 7], as Parliamentarians meet to discuss the possible passage of the Anti – Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly.

Government is hoping that the Bill will be passed, putting Guyana in check with the November 18 deadline of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

However, there is expected to be a bitter quarrel between the government and the parliamentary opposition, since the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) completed its report on the Bill without the involvement of the Opposition.

The administration is hoping to get the support of the minority party – the Alliance for Change (AFC) – by tabling amendments to the Public Procurement Act. The AFC has stated that they will only support the Anti – Money Laundering Bill if the government moves toward the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on the other hand, is not sure on whether they will support the Bill. Its leader, David Granger had stated that the APNU will deal with the Bill on the floor of the National Assembly.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon has once again chided the Parliamentary Opposition for promoting uncertainty as it relates to the fate of the Bill.

Dr. Luncheon told reporters at his post cabinet media briefing on Wednesday that, “the parliamentary Opposition has contributed to the high degree of uncertainty. They promote uncertainty about the outcome of the Parliamentary consideration of that Bill. All other stakeholders have been and are urging parliamentary political parties to enact the Bill. There is no doubt the Parliamentary Opposition feels that it could escape the consequences of its action to oppose enactment and cabinet considers that sheer delusion.”

If the Amendments are not passed within the stipulated CFATF deadline, then Guyana could be blacklisted.

Dr. Luncheon outlined the possible effects if this happens. “In worse case, Guyanese disadvantaged in his/her foreign overseas financial dealings: buying, purchasing, selling, transfers, remittances. All of those transactions once adversely affected to the disadvantage of the average Guyanese, it will remind them that indeed it was the opposition that landed Guyana in this mess.”