Some progress at anti-laundering talks

Some progress was made by government and APNU members of the parliamentary select committee examining the Anti-Money Laundering/ Combating the Financing of Terrorism  (Amendment) Bill during a six-hour meeting yesterday, but the talks will continue today to iron out two outstanding issues, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said last evening.

Nandlall said that the first issue has to do with the opposition seeking to invest the police with powers in relation to the seizure of cash from anyone believed engaged in money laundering or who has cash which represents the proceeds of crime. The second has to do with the opposition’s objection to the executive having the power to appoint and remove the director of the Financial Intelligence Unit.

He said that the opposition is yet to commit to working towards a Monday deadline, while the government seeks to have the Bill passed during the parliamentary sitting tomorrow so it can be immediately dispatched to the Financial Action Task Force which will be meeting later in the week.