WHILE Guyana has run the risk of being blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the western missions in Guyana are satisfied with President Granger’s commitment for the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill in the 11th Parliament. In his address to the 11th Parliament on Wednesday, President Granger spoke to the plans of his Government to bring about the development of the Guyanese people. The President highlighted as

priorities the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation, as well as the Local Government (Amendment) Bill which will see Local Government elections being held early next year.
High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Dr. Nicole Giles called the President’s legislative agenda “ambitious” but expressed her Government’s pleasure “to see that the overdue AML/CFT legislation is going to be tabled and brought forward as well as a date being set for the Local Government elections through the passage of the last LGE bill.”
Head of the European Union Delegation to Guyana, Robert Kopecky expressed the European Union’s satisfaction at seeing Guyana advance towards public finance management by passing the AML/CFT legislation.
He recalled the response of the EU in suspending funds to Guyana in the absence of effective fiscal management and parliamentary oversight since the prorogation of Parliament by former President Donald Ramotar.

RETURN TO NORMALCY
Kopecky noted that the opening of the 11th Parliament signals the return to normalcy in Guyana in terms of financial management, accountability and transparency. He further commended the other ideas listed in the President’s address in terms of the eradication of poverty and inequality.

Meanwhile, UK High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn said that the President has laid out a “comprehensive schedule of legislation for Parliament.” Like his colleagues, Quinn championed President Granger’s mention of passing legislation against money laundering and financing of terrorism.
The UK envoy cautioned, however, that the workload for this parliamentary session is heavy but achievable. “I think it’s gonna be hard work because there’s a lot to cram into a very short period of time,” he said, while adding jokingly, “But it’s good to make parliamentarians work; we make our parliamentarians in the UK work, so parliamentarians everywhere should work.”

By Derwayne Wills