CHAIRPERSON of  Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) Amendment Bill, Ms Gail Teixeira, has postponed the crucial meeting of the committee, which was scheduled for yesterday, to 17:00 hrs today, after several Opposition members failed to attend the meeting.

Seen as obvious ‘delay tactics’ by the Parliamentary Opposition, yesterday’s postponement of the meeting also comes amid accusations the Opposition is dragging its feet on the passage of  very important AMLCFT  amendments, without which there could be serious implications for the country’s financial institutions and the private sector.

In a statement to the media sent out last evening, Ms Teixeira related that she was informed yesterday morning by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and member of the said Committee, Mrs. Deborah Backer, that she had to attend a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition and APNU Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Harmon, and was therefore asking that the scheduled parliamentary committee meeting be postponed.

Teixeira, who also serves as Government Chief Whip, advised that she was also informed by Backer that Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan would “probably not attend.”
She related that she advised the Deputy Speaker that she would have to consult with the members on the government side on this request.
“I also asked if in requesting a postponement they were suggesting another day this week for the Committee to meet. To which, Mrs. Backer stated that they were thinking of next Monday, October 28, 2013!” she stated.
Teixeira explained that she responded that the government side would not agree to next week as the Committee must meet this week. As such, she asked for their views on meeting today or tomorrow.

“I committed to consult the government members as to the request for the postponement and a new date for the committee to meet. Mrs. Backer committed to discuss the dates I proposed with the opposition members,” she informed.
The Chief Whip advised that the quorum of a parliamentary committee is three members and pointed out that many meetings were held in the ninth Parliament and also in this present Parliament with either side having less than the requisite numbers.
“The rule of thumb is that the Committees’ work must continue,” she declared..
Teixeira further related that the Government members were aware of a private meeting between the President and the Leader of the Opposition at 16:00 hrs yesterday, but they were unaware as to that invitation causing any clash with the functioning of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on the AMLCFT Amendment Bill.

Furthermore, she reminded that it was the APNU members who set the date of the Committee for yesterday October 21, at the October 14 meeting despite efforts by her as chairperson to convince them to meet earlier on October 17and 18.

CONVINCED MEETING COULD HAVE PROCEEDED
According to her, the government members have indicated that they remain convinced that yesterday’s meeting could have proceeded with the three government members and the other APNU members, Mr. Basil Williams and Mr. Carl Greenidge.
“Crucial time was lost at the August 5 meeting when the Opposition by majority vote adjourned the Committee meeting to October. The request for the postponement today again indicates that the Opposition seems to have scant interest in concluding and/or supporting this bill,” she reminded.
Teixeira emphasised that the completion of the work of this Committee is “critical to the economic and social well-being of Guyana and its citizens”.

“The Opposition members, cognisant of the deadlines which have been passed in May and August, 2013, cannot claim to be unaware of the absolute necessity to return this bill to the House for debate by early November and the consequences to Guyana if this deadline is again missed,” she lamented.
As such, she has decided to postpone the meeting to today and said that she expects that the gravity of the situation will compel all members of the PSSC to attend the rescheduled meeting.
The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has already prepared a draft report on Guyana, which will be adopted at its Plenary Meeting, scheduled to be held on November 18 in the Bahamas.
This draft report in its conclusion states that Guyana has not implemented the requisite recommendations and the Guyana AMLCTF Bill, which embodies those recommendations, is still languishing in the Guyana Parliament.
It therefore declares Guyana to be a non-compliant jurisdiction and invites countries to take such counter-measures which they deem necessary to protect themselves from the money laundering and terrorism risks which Guyana poses.
Unless the AMLCFT bill in Parliament is passed, before November 18, Guyana will be unable to prevent that draft report from being adopted.