Georgetown : The Government is calling on Guyanese citizens to demand more from the political leaders and to let their positions on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) (Amendment) Bill be heeded.
During a press conference at the National Communications Network (NCN), Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill said that, “I believe that when people elect governments and their representatives to the National Assembly and their representatives are acting contrary to their wishes, then people must speak out.”
Minister Edghill said that this is not the time for people to be taking sides; instead he said that given the risks that the country is exposed to, Guyanese must be patriotic and embrace what can be best described as nationalism to protect the country’s economic future.
Yesterday APNU made an alteration to one of the proposed amendments. Initially, they had proposed to empower police and customs officers to seize currency to the value of over $2M if they suspect that the said currency is the proceeds of crime.
They have now amended that proposal to empower police, customs, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and other relevant agencies to seize cash in excess $10M if they have reason to believe the said cash is crime proceeds.
Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira said that this shift to increase the limit is a direct result of the pressure and outcry that came from citizens.
Teixeira, who is also the Chairperson of the select committee that is dealing with the Bill said that in the 22 years that she has been in the National Assembly, this is first time she is witnessing a Bill being held hostage in a committee.
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