State assets recovery bill to be passed today – AG

The government yesterday said that it would move to pass the controversial State Assets Recovery Bill today in the National Assembly and officials who will be part of the agency to be set up say they would immediately commence action to recover stolen property.

Asked specifically whether the government would be passing the bill, Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams SC yesterday answered in the affirmative and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), Aubrey Heath-Retmeyer said that his unit is ready to commence work the very next day.

The Bill has been heavily criticized by several groups including the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the opposition PPP/C. But Attorney General Williams, at a press conference at his office, defended the bill while reminding that it is based on United Nations Convention Against Corruption recommendations in 2003, which were ratified by Guyana in 2008.