Dr Roger Luncheon
Government will be re-tabling the anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/ CFT) and the firearms amendment bills, among several pieces of legislation voted down by the combined opposition when the House meets again next Thursday.
Speaking specifically on the AML/ CFT bill at his weekly-post Cabinet briefing on Wednesday at the Office at the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, Cabinet Secretary, Dr Luncheon said the re-tabling of the bill is the only course open to government after the pronouncement by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) on November 21.
He told media operatives that government will not be daunted by the fact the bill was turned down twice by the parliamentary opposition, who had claimed that the amendments to the bill were incomplete.
“We are not going to let the spectrum of an unfavourable welcome prevent us from going back again… it doesn’t matter, we are going back to Parliament. If they say we got to put it on the roof, we are going to have to put it on the roof, if they say we got to put it down in the drain, we will put it down… We are interested in having that amendment bill enacted and I can safely say that whatever is presented to us in the context of its reintroduction are obviously interventions that we have to consider,” Dr Luncheon said.
Following the voting down of the anti-money laundering bill by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) last month which caused Guyana to miss the CFATF deadline, the country was blacklisted.
However, Guyana was given until February next year to get its affairs in order and pass the bill as CFATF has warned its members against possible money laundering and financial terrorist risks in Guyana.
Meanwhile, the firearms amendment and evidence amendment bills initially presented by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, but snubbed by the opposition, will also be re-tabled.
The APNU and the AFC had indicated that they are not prepared to work with the home affairs minister.
Dr Luncheon said these bills will now be re-tabled by the attorney general.
The Cabinet secretary also disclosed that the government will be introducing new bills such as the Summary Jurisdiction Procedure Bill.
“Essentially that provides, you, errant traffic offenders, with the option of paying your fines in Georgetown regardless of wherever the offence for which fines were being levied occurred,” he explained.
Also engaging the House’s attention are the three financial papers and the accompanying appropriation bill. The first financial paper deals with constitutionally enabling the statement of excess provisions; the second paper looks at the Contingency Fund and the advances from that fund; while the third paper covers applications for provisions to meet expenditures for fiscal year 2013.
Meanwhile, there will be the second reading of the Procurement Amendment Bill, which allows government to retain involvement in the process of procuring goods and services.
Dr Luncheon also noted that government anticipates the sitting of the parliamentary select committee dealing with the two telecommunication bills, before the next holding of the National Assembly, to elect a chairperson.
