GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr. Clement Rohee has made some harsh criticisms of the combined Opposition, over the continued delay in passing the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill.

He charged that, in line with statements from the Opposition, if A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is truly concerned with security of the Guyanese people and stamping out criminal activities, they should move to support the Bill.
Speaking at his weekly press conference, held in Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown, yesterday, he declared:“The actions (of the PPP) alone serve not only to demonstrate the PPP-led Government’s commitment to implement measures to combat all forms of criminal activities, but to, forthrightly, debunk the Opposition’s accusation levelled against our party.
“These are the facts and Guyanese must remain cognisant of the Opposition’s attempt to mislead and to force the harsh consequences of being blacklisted upon them.”
According to him, the Government is not “pampazettin” with work on the Bill, but is sincerely interested in having the Bill passed so that Guyana becomes compliant with international requirements, a reality reflected in the many hours of labour that have been put in to date.
Rohee questioned the non-support of the Bill, which would enhance the capacity of law enforcement to deal with money launderers, drug dealers and the operators of other illegal businesses.
The General Secretary emphasised that the political Opposition has to move away from procrastinating on such an important piece of legislation, which has been in the Select Committee for some 10 months now.
Procrastinating tendencies
He said: “The party believes that, if the Opposition were to desist from their habitual procrastinating tendencies and were to endeavour to contribute, meaningfully, to nation building, then the passage of legislation like the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act would be routine.
“Moreso, their capacity to appreciate the challenges faced and the processes involved in combating organised crime would be enhanced.”
He added that the Opposition must commit to putting the welfare of the nation above self-interest.
“Guyanese and all of civil society must demand no less,” Rohee said.
He said the current positions taken by the Opposition force the ruling party to question whether they are interested in the fight against crime.
“Is their non-support for the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, an expression of their support and protection for those engaged in such criminal activities?
“This must be asked in the context whereby a former Member of Parliament of the PNC, now APNU, is serving a jail sentence in the United States of America for conspiring in an act of terrorism.
“Further, given how the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, if passed, would empower law enforcement in these areas and the Opposition’s non-support for it, the PPP’s position of being mindful of the Opposition clandestine connections to drug lords and violent criminal gangs, is fortified,” he posited.
Continuing, the Minister of Home Affairs said, given that there is agreement on the Bill itself and the contention in moving the work of the Committee rests with three proposals for amendments to the Principal Act, which were brought by the Opposition, the question of compromise with the Alliance For Change (AFC) was raised.
Difficult compromise
However, he maintained that the AFC’s position in bargaining for the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) in exchange for supporting the AML/CFT Bill is not an easy concession to grant, rather it is a difficult compromise.
He explained that the problem here lies with the proposed amendment that seeks to remove Cabinet’s ‘no objection’ role in the procurement process.
Parliament, in late December, deferred the second reading of the Procurement (Amendment) Bill to a date within the next six months, following a motion moved by Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, after six hours of debate.
The Bill is an act to amend the 2003 Principal Procurement Act by making changes to section 54 by deleting subsection six. Section 54 deals with Cabinet’s involvement in reviewing the award of procurement contracts and the phasing out of its functions with the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission (PPC), in the interest of decentralising the procuring process.
Subsection six states that:“Cabinet’s involvement shall cease upon the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, except in relation to those matters referred to in subsection one which are pending.”
The amendment, which, essentially, maintains Cabinet’s no objection role, does not find favour with the combined Opposition.
According to Rohee, the case with the AFC’s bargaining is one of “brinkmanship” where the Opposition, seemingly, wants to prove something or to push the Government to a “cliffhanger” position.
He added, too, that the PPC and the AML/CFT Bill ought not to be linked to each other, but considered on their individual merits.
The General Secretary declared that the Government is not “mamaguying” with the AML/CFT Bill, as to do so, considering the amount of effort on pushing for the Bill’s passage would be foolhardy.
“Why would the Government shoot itself in the foot by going through all this if there was no real interest in getting the bill passed,” he asked.
Rohee pointed out that the impending consequences are “too dire” were Guyana to be internationally blacklisted for non-compliance.
The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has already designated Guyana as a country with strategic anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism deficiencies, that has not made sufficient progress in addressing them nor complied with its Action Plan developed with CFATF to address them.
CFATF is expected to review Guyana’s position at its next meeting in May 2014 and ahead of that deadline, FATF is scheduled to meet on Thursday, February 13, the more pressing ultimatum that this country is likely to miss and qualify for international blacklisting.