Despite all the rhetoric coming from the PPP-C Government on the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, It is now quite clear that they have no real interest in the passage of the Bill. The issue of the AML Bill is just an opportunity for the government to make appropriate noises designed to fool the Regional and International communities about their commitment to the fight against financial crimes. Their unwillingness to deal with corruption and to stem the flow of illicit money is evident in their refusal to yield to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and their sloth in implementing the provisions of the existing AML/CFT Act. In an economy awash with illicit money, there has only ever been one prosecution for offences under this Act.
The public needs to understand that the Procurement Commission is a provision in our Constitution (Article 212 W), reinforced by way of the Public Procurement Act, and is intended to ensure that citizens get value for their tax dollars. It was designed to lend confidence to the procurement process and limit opportunities for government officials to demand bribes and kick-backs from contractors/ suppliers. A functioning Public Procurement Commission would also reduce the fear of contractors/suppliers that they could be discriminated against if they do not support the government of the day.
One would have thought that these would have been good enough reasons for the government to hastily establish the Commission, especially as they were the ones who spearheaded the passage of legislation for its creation. However, they continue to make lame excuses while maintaining full control over a process that sees billions of tax payers’ dollars squandered each year.
International bodies estimate that some 20 per cent of the money for all contracts goes towards bribes and kick-backs for high placed public officials. This is public money, money that rightfully ought to go towards improving the quality of life of the Guyanese people and not into the hands of corrupt government officials.
If the PPPC government was serious about addressing money laundering, they would have made robust efforts to strengthen the Financial Intelligence Unit without having to be forced to do so by an external body. They would have established the Public Procurement Commission, ensured that there was a properly constituted Integrity Commission, taken steps to encourage the establishment of a DEA office in Guyana, ensured the extradition of drug lords to the US among other measures. It is clear that the PPPC government is only interested in noise making. It is time to cut the chat and start implementing.
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