– says govt must set up procurement body
BY SVETLANA MARSHALL
Government and the opposition have been irresponsible in tackling the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing the Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, Private Sector Commission executive member Gerry Gouveia said, as he complained bitterly about the country being blacklisted.
“I am furious, I am extremely disappointed in our Parliament,” Gouveia said during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International. He said it is a shame that Guyana has been formally blacklisted by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) due to the carelessness of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C), the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) at the level of the National Assembly.
The anti-money laundering bill was read in the National Assembly for the first time on April 22. It was subsequently read on May 7 when a decision was made to send the bill to a parliamentary special select committee.
But from the onset, the AFC made its position clear, that it would support the bill only if government establishes the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).
Poor bargaining tactics
However, the PSC executive member rubbished the AFC bargaining tactics, describing it as poor.
“I say don’t bargain for things like this, I understand politics… but on issues like this, when we have to meet international standards, we should not be playing political games with the image and economy of Guyana,” he lamented.
According to Gouveia, the AFC is not only holding the government, but the entire Guyana at ransom.
The same can be said for the APNU and the PPP/ C, which have all employed poor tactics in their attempt to pass the anti-money laundering bill.
“This is the highest display of irresponsibility and recklessness I have seen by our Parliament. I am extremely disappointed, it’s irresponsible and it is reckless,” Gouveia said as he blasts the three main political parties.
On November 7, the APNU and AFC voted down the bill, despite the government’s attempt to comply with CFATF’s November 18 deadline.
APNU said more work is needed to be done on the bill, although it has not tabled one amendment at the level of the parliamentary special select committee.
Their decisions have now resulted in Guyana being blacklisted.
However, Gouveia is hoping that good sense will prevail before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meets in February 2014.
CFAFT, however, will meet again in May 2014.
Days before the opposition voted down the anti-money laundering bill, the government had announced that a Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) will be established to investigate financial transactions suspicious of money laundering and financing of terrorism.
It was stated that the unit will also be working closely with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
Procurement commission
Turning his attention to the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), Gouvia said the government must not underestimate the importance of the body.
“The government ought to be told to get off their tail and get the procurement commission up and the Integrity Commission and Office of the Ombudsman up, we need those things as well,” he said.
Less than a week ago, AFC executive member Dominic Gaskin had called for the appointment of the Ombudsman, the establishment of the Human Rights Commission and the Public Procurement Commission.
According to Gaskin, to leave these critical offices vacant is to betray democracy and the oath taken to uphold the Constitution of the country.
