Guyana free to strengthen anti- laundering law above what exists

Carl Greenidge

Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) requirements for anti-money laundering legislation are only a “floor” and the country is free to amend the law in order to strengthen it beyond what exists, CFATF adviser Roger Hernandez told a parliamentary committee on Friday, according to APNU’s spokesman Carl Greenidge.

Hernandez told the parliamentary committee that nothing that the CFATF has said about the draft anti-money laundering bill should be taken to mean that they believe that the National Assembly cannot pass legislation it deems fit, Greenidge said. The CFATF official also said that as far as changes to the draft bill are concerned, the Assembly should recognize that those changes could either strengthen or weaken the Bill. CFATF will take a position on this after the legislation is approved and can be assessed in the context of Guyana and its peculiarities.