Guyana wins Best Regional AML/CFT Case Award

Guyana has won the prestigious Best Regional AML/CFT Case Award (BREMOLT) at the 59th Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Plenary and Working Group Meetings, currently being held at Montego Bay, Jamaica.

A delegation, led by Anil Nandlall SC MP, Attorney General & Minister of Legal Affairs, is currently at the Plenary furthering areas regarding cooperation and collaboration with CFATF Member States and other countries and international agencies attending the meetings.

The BREMOLT was contested by 4 jurisdictions who submitted 8 cases to be assessed. There were three finalists (Guyana, Jamaica and The Bahamas), which were nominated by a panel of highly experienced and competent judges from CFATF jurisdictions.

Following presentations from the three finalists, Guyana was adjudged the best-case winner by a majority vote of the delegates of the 24 Member jurisdictions of the CFATF.

Guyana’s submission provided a synopsis on the use of suspicious transaction reporting, intelligence analysis, and the use of investigative techniques which were used to eventually bring charges against embattled Assistant Commissioner of Police, Calvin Brutus, for money laundering and other financial related offences.

The case focused on demonstrating the effectiveness of the AML/CFT systems established and implemented by Guyana before and after its last Mutual Evaluation Report.

The case also served as a great example to participants attending the Plenary of how the systems that are put in place by countries like Guyana can be used as a deterrent to contributing to the scourge of money laundering and terrorist financing.

This case was also monumental as it illustrated the possibilities related to abuse of procurement processes, and methods in which the AML/CFT system can be used to minimize such abuse by high ranking public officials. This was demonstrated by the real time cooperation among key agencies including the reporting entities, FIU, SOCU, AG Chambers, GRA and the Office of the DPP to successfully bring charges regarding the alleged offences to Brutus and his alleged associates, which included his spouse who was the beneficial owner of a number of corporate entities.

It also illustrated Guyana’s commitment to battle corruption and financial impropriety by public officials, regardless of status, to ensure proper management of its financial systems and resources for its citizens.

Additionally, this case was distinguished and recognized for Guyana’s ability to bring a high-ranking police official before the courts for alleged offences, as it involves one of the highest-ranking police officials ever charged with such a crime in the Caribbean region.

On the margins of the ongoing plenary, Guyana also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cayman Islands, through their respective Financial Intelligence Units, to further international cooperation and collaboration between the FIUs of these countries.

Additionally, Ms. Alicia Williams of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Guyana moderated a Round Table Discussion at the Heads of FIU forum on Sunday December 1, 2024, under the topic: Mastering the Art of Suspending Transactions. The objective of the session was to discuss the challenges, lessons learned, and the successes experienced by peers on the use of the power of suspension/postponement of transactions.

Agencies representing Guyana at the Plenary include the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Bank of Guyana (BOG), Attorney General’s Chambers, Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Office of the Director of Public

Prosecutions (DPP), the Cooperatives Department (CCDO), Guyana Securities Council (GSC), Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Guyana Gold Board (GGB), Gaming Authority (GA), Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and Ministry of Home Affairs Treaty Office (MOHA).

The 59th CFATF Plenary and Working Groups Meeting concludes on Friday, December 6, 2024.