The parliamentary opposition on Wednesday remained unmoved by the unprecedented move by President Donald Ramotar to plead with them by way of letter to the National Assembly to change their stance on the anti-money laundering legislation amendments.   

The APNU has withheld its support for the bill on the grounds that it needed more time and information to ensure that Guyana had a proper law in place while the AFC withheld its support as leverage for the set up of the long awaited Public Procurement Commission and the president’s assent to two opposition bills he recently rejected.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

The Guyana government says it will be looking to secure an extension to later this year for compliance with international anti-money laundering regulations given the parliamentary opposition’s seeming disinclination to have the local law amended by month end in keeping with requirements.  

The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has mandated Guyana to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act in keeping with international standards with non-compliance likely to result in sanctions if not done by the May 26-30 plenary meeting in Nicaragua.

President Donald Ramotar is slated to join fellow CARICOM Heads of State in Trinidad and Tobago for an important meeting with United States (US) Vice President Joe Biden focusing on trade and economic development, US State Department country reports and security cooperation.

Six Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers have been jailed for being Absent Without Leave and Desertion at Court Martial trials last week, the defence force said Wednesday.