A magnanimous show of goodwill

THE recommendation of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has resulted in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) last Thursday postponing a final decision on blacklisting Guyana because of non-compliance with international protocols regarding prerequisites for countering high crimes in the world, proposing instead to make a decision when CFATF meets again in May.One hopes that the Opposition cabal will relent and finally show some patriotism and wise leadership in the spirit of the strong advocacy on this country’s behalf by the various bodies, especially the CFATF, and the pronouncement of the FATF to be somewhat lenient toward Guyana in its final decision about blacklisting us, because of the opposition’s intractable lack of support in the National Assembly when they time and again – defeated the Government’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill.
The decisions of the 2013 November CFATF meeting and Plan of Action regarding Guyana therefore remain unchanged. However, Guyana has to file a report by February 28, 2014 to the CFATF for their review, and report to plenary members in May 2014.
This report will include Guyana’s Plan of Action to correct its deficiencies as part of the ongoing process; but Guyana is still at the mercy of the joint Opposition, whose recalcitrance is defeating compliance of passage of the AML/CFT Bill.
At that forum Guyana is expected to attach to that Report the conclusions on the AML/CFT (amendment) Bill, Bill Number 22, 2013, which has been stagnating, through various delaying tactics by the combined opposition in the parliamentary special select committee, with hope for a satisfactory conclusion and an eventual passage of that vital Bill so that a copy of the said enacted Bill would be analysed by CFATF and correlated to the deficiencies to provide the report to plenary in May 2014.
Guyanese citizens, civil society bodies, in particular the business community and affiliate organisations, the labour movement, the diplomatic community, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) all publicly appealed for timely passage of the Bill, but the joint Opposition remained adamant, demanding in return quid pro quos before they support the passage of the Bill, putting their self-serving interests before the interests of the nation.
Their demands would be untenable for any government; but they have shown no remorse in their pursuit of power through using the nation’s welfare as bargaining chips for selfish gains.
Blackmailing the Government through holding the nation to ransom by their irrational demands is a consistent tradition of initially the PNC, and more so now that they have been fortified by the conglomeration of PNC/APNU/AFC.
Guyanese citizens are appealing to the joint Opposition to, for once, put their welfare before power and wealth-hunger and self-interests and ensure that the AML/CFT (Amendment) Bill is passed in the National Assembly, with urgency, before the end of February, 2014.
Their unreasonable and unconstitutional demands, incompatible with CFATF recommendations, would cause further unwarranted delays in bringing the nation in compliance. The joint opposition has created an impasse only they can end; and they seem to think this entire imbroglio is a game, where they hold the winning cards, when, instead, their implacable stance holds dire implications and consequences for this nation.
The decision to delay punitive “blacklisting” sanctions against a non-compliant Guyana by the Paris-headquartered FATF — the ultimate decision-makers, comprising 34 member nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) — has been influenced by the various appeals from stakeholders and wellwishers in and out of Guyana.
The body has shown goodwill to the Guyana Government and the people of this nation by allowing additional time for passage of the vital legislation upon a recommendation from the Port-of-Spain-based CFATF to extend the deadline for a final decision on Guyana’s compliance with required legislation to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism.
This evidences great mercy and goodwill for Guyana and Guyanese; so when will the PNC/APNU/AFC put the nation first, demonstrate similar goodwill and mercy to this nation, and allow Guyana to become compliant with international protocols on countering money laundering and terrorism?
If not, whose interests are they guarding by their adamant position on non-support of the anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering bill? Because only cartels, terrorists, drug barons and money launderers will hold sway and benefit if they create further obstacles to the passage of the AML/CFT Amendment Bill.

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