ATTORNEY General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, said Wednesday that the draft legislation for the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) is still being assessed by the World Bank.
Williams told reporters that the legislation is “almost out of the pipeline,” and will soon be “perfected.” The legislation, he said, is yet to be handed over to the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“It is not with the AG Chambers as yet, but the information is that the World Bank hasn’t concluded, more or less, its examination of the relevant Bill,” the Attorney General said.
Williams could not specifically say when the legislation would be at the AG’s Chambers before being placed before the National Assembly, except that it is presently with the World Bank and SARU.
In January, representatives of the World Bank and the United Nations met with the Attorney General and SARU representatives to discuss the operation and functioning of SARU, and committed to helping with the putting together of the draft legislation.
The draft Bill on the establishment of SARU, its functions, and its role in coordinating with other organisations were key areas identified and discussed during that meeting.
Attorney General Williams said SARU’s work is intended to be civil and not criminal and the passing of the bill will ensure that SARU has the capacity to request information about assets being held by bodies and will also be given the power to apply to the court for restraining orders and interim orders relative to properties.
INVESTIGATIVE CAPACITY
Williams said too that the legislation will serve to strengthen SARU’s investigative capacity by statutorily empowering them to do certain things that cannot be done currently. “The legislation will empower them to be able to request information lawfully and get it. Whoever they’re requesting it from would be lawfully required to hand the information to them, which is a big step in their process,” he explained.
SARU’s work, he explained, is based on the International Convention against Corruption.