THE Bills to which the joint opposition is demanding assent before they support the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism ( AML/CFT) laws would practically make Government obsolete and, to all intents and purposes, hand over governance of Guyana to the PNC/APNU/AFC combo, which, in any language, spells blackmail.

The combined opposition has put the Government squarely “between the devil and the deep sea”, holding the nation ransom to their unacceptable demands; either way, the nation loses, and the combined opposition wins, especially in the acquisition of control of the treasury, which has always been their primary target.
As President Donald Ramotar was moved to ask: “Who will benefit if this Bill is not passed? Definitively not the Guyanese people… In the first instance, it will affect the cost for people in our country doing business with banks abroad… it will also give our country a very bad name, and send a message to investors that can negatively impact investments coming to our country.”
So, who will win if the legislation to combat high-profile crimes such as terrorism, money laundering, drug and gun running, etc, is not passed? Why? The people who have been supporting certain political parties in quid pro quo arrangements, of course! Arrangements such as funding acts of terrorism, home invasions, and drug distribution among youths to indoctrinate child soldiers, et al. So, is it any wonder that there is no support from some quarters for a Bill that would constrain these activities?
However, Guyana’s stakeholders in all the entrepreneurial sectors, private citizens — including their own supporters, and even the diplomatic community — have singly and collectively expressed their dismay, frustration, and even anger at the APNU/AFC/PNC parliamentary configuration, and appealed that they put the interest of the nation first and support the passage of this vital Bill to prevent dire consequences to this nation.
So, when the private sector bodies lambasted the opposition last Tuesday for walking out of a meeting when a proposal was made for the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to observe the meetings of the select committee fine-tuning the anti-money laundering Bill, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Wednesday did an about face and said it is committed to amending the current Act of 2009 to ensure that it is effective. The party also committed to ensuring that the Bank of Guyana (BoG) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are empowered and equipped to fulfil its functions and achieve the objectives of the Act, and to engage the Government of Guyana, the private sector, civil society, the trade unions, and the international community to protect “our economy with the enforceable Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism ( AML/CFT) laws.”
The PSC had criticised APNU’s position regarding the observation of discussion on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill at the Parliamentary Special Select Committee. APNU objected to a Motion put to the Select Committee for the proceedings to be observed by the Commission.
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) said members of the National Assembly should leave “political grandstanding” out of the negotiations.
It said in a press statement last Tuesday, “The Chamber noted with deep disappointment the position adopted by A Partnership for National Unity to withdraw and not allow outside observers to the parliamentary select committee debates concerning the amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill.”
The PSC, in a statement on December 10, said APNU gave an unqualified undertaking to support the PSC’s proposal that the meeting of the special select committee be held in public, thereby facilitating observers.
The statement read: “The PSC finds it inexplicable that APNU would now renege on its undertaking, made at a meeting chaired by its leader, Brigadier (retired) David Granger, and considers this to be a disturbing display of bad faith on the part of the major opposition party.”
But reneging on what should be good-faith agreements is what the opposition does best; and one can recall the mayhem that ensued post-Budget Day of 2012, when Granger reneged on an agreement, if its conditions were not met, to support Government’s staggered increase to bring Linden’s electricity rates in line with national tariffs.
The Government kept its part of the bargain, but Granger and the AFC subsequently created mayhem in Linden to protest the proposed increases.

Bad faith by the collective opposition is endemic to their political psyche; and they have betrayed the Guyanese people, even their covenant wth their own supporters, to work for their development, in a continuum of destructive, anti-developmental rhetoric and actions.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary, Clement Rohee said that the combined opposition seems to be shielding money launderers by stalling the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Financing Terrorism (Amendment) (AML/CFT) Bill. This was his contention at the party’s weekly press conference last Tuesday, when he stated: “The opposition parties in the National Assembly are (seemingly) protecting the vested interests of a few whose operations and perhaps survival will be affected if the Bill is passed.
“These persons obviously are those engaged in illicit activities, including trading and trafficking in drugs, arms, ammunition and who need to launder the proceeds of their ill-gotten gains.”
Rohee, who is also Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister, posited (excerpts): “If a Bill is aimed at thwarting people who are engaged in illegal activities, and in this respect money-laundering and financing of terrorism, and you are doing almost everything to block that from going through, two questions arise: are you doing it for political purposes, or are you doing it for people who will benefit from the non-passage of the legislation?
“It has to be in favour of, or against, somebody: The beneficiaries of money laundering… If we are committed to the principles of transparency, we can’t only talk transparency, we have to do transparency…
“The Bill speaks for itself: anti-money laundering and countering of financing terrorism. This is not just a Bill for the purpose of show; the Bill empowers the State to take legal actions against persons who are involved in money laundering. It is serious business; if it wasn’t, it would not have reached the level of the international community.”
Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, expressed the view that the way APNU members are behaving in the National Assembly, it does not appear as though the country will be able to meet the deadline.
According to Nandlall, the latest document being circulated by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has listed Guyana as one of the countries most likely to be selected by the France-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) review next month. Guyana has already missed three deadlines, in May, August and November last year, resulting in the country being blacklisted by CFATF, which has listed Guyana as the most delinquent country.
The private sector had described APNU’s volte-face on the select committee meeting disturbing, and called for negotiations on the issue to be devoid of political grandstanding. Just after the meeting ended last Monday, the Finance Minister condemned the opposition for staging the walkout at a critical time when the committee is attempting to complete its work before the FATF meetings on February 12.
“This is a most unfortunate development, and reflects yet another attempt by the opposition to frustrate the timely passage of this Bill,” Minister Nandlall said.
The FATF plenary meeting takes place in Paris, under the presidency of Vladimir Nechaev of the Russian Federation, from February 12-14. FATF has made it clear that territories that have not made sufficient progress in addressing deficiencies, or have not committed to an Action Plan developed with FATF to address AML/CFT will be penalised.
Meanwhile, FATF’s regional arm, CFATF, which blacklisted Guyana last November for failing to pass the AML/CFT (Amendment) Bill 2013, is slated to meet in May. The country can also be further sanctioned.
Adding its voice to the national conversation, appealing for the passage of this vital Bill is the Berbice Chambers of Commerce and Development Association.
BCCDA’s President, Mark Roopnarine, has joined calls from various sections of society for the passage of the anti-money laundering Bill, to safeguard the country, more particularly the business community from undue international scrutiny.
Speaking at the organisation’s 81st Anniversary luncheon, Roopnarine said that the threat of full blacklisting is ever present in the minds of Guyanese, particularly the business community, because of its many implications especially to the remittance service provider.
“Money transfer agencies,” he said, “are beginning to feel the effects; and so too will the ordinary Guyanese. The BCCDA, therefore, wants to reinforce its original position that the necessary Bills be amended and passed into legislation with the necessary urgency it demands.”
He noted that with the opening of the door by Canada and other countries to Guyanese to study and work, Guyanese abroad have been able to support their families back home financially.
“I am sure that if considered as a measurement to the GDP of Guyana, remittances will fall in the top five; the livelihoods of many Guyanese have been made possible because those who have migrated have been able to send back finances,” he said, pointing out that Canada is ranked among the top five countries from which remittances come to Guyana.
“The non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill,” he reiterated, “will not only destroy and hurt the image of the country, but also the private sector and the people of Guyana, so it’s imperative that it is passed.”
Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Tracey, described the non-passage of the anti-money laundering Bill as unfortunate, emphasising that if Guyana gets blacklisted by the international community, it would have serious implications on the country.
“All banks,” he said, “have strict money-laundering systems in place, including us. We right now have someone implementing special software from Vyserve, and these gentlemen will be looking at that software to see and deliver all our AML’s procedures and processes.”
Tracey pointed out that if Guyana becomes fully blacklisted, it would have a far-reaching impact, including the loss of corresponding banking relationships, and a longer time to facilitate international money transfer.
During a meeting with the Private Sector Commission, the opposition leader had reportedly indicated that he will not be supporting the legislation; but stakeholders are waiting with bated breath to see if the joint opposition will do one of its famous somersaults and support the Bill; if only to satisfy and silence their critics, many of whom are convinced that they are conspiring with the denizens of the underworld to work in disjunction with the developmental forces of the nation.