Anti-corruption crusade making strides
DPI, Guyana, Monday, April 30, 2018
The anti-corruption crusade of the Coalition Government is making strides. This is according to Attorney General Basil Williams SC., who was addressing the fifth in the series of Anti-Corruption Sensitisation Seminar, on Monday, at the Regional Democratic Council office in Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice.
Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Basil Williams SC.
The forum was organised by the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Legal Affairs in collaboration with the regional administration.
Participants included regional and NDC officials, teachers, health workers, as well as members of the disciplined services.
AG Williams told the participants that the seminar series is intended to sensitise them to the pitfalls of corruption and the economic importance of an “un-bribable” public service.
He noted that the country has made significant headway in addressing corruption. The Special Organised Crime Unit has been working on anti-money laundering and the countering of terrorist and financial crimes. The AG pointed to the recent charges of misconduct in public office by officials of the previous administration. This, he said stemmed from three years of investigations by the police and the advice of the Police Legal Advisor Claudette Singh SC.
Some of the participant at the Anti-Corruption Sensitisation Seminar.
He urged the participants to join the fight against corruption and to disseminate the message of anti-corruption in their agencies and in the communities.
Also, in attendance at the seminar was a legal team that include the Deputy Director of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), Aubrey Heath-Retemyer, Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-a-Fatt, Principal Parliamentary Counsel, Joann Bond Parliamentary Counsels Cheyenne Lall, Dianne Woolford and Ariel Haynes, Legislative Drafting Consultant, Ananda Dhurjon and Assistant Director Public Prosecutions, Teshana James-Lake.
There were overviews of the State Asset Recovery Act and State Assets Recovery Unit; presentations on the Protected Disclosures Act; the Witness Protection Act and the Criminalisation of corrupt practices.
The participants were involved in a question and answer session with the members of the legal team for over an hour before the proceedings ended.
Previous seminars were held in Regions Two, Three, Four and Six.
By: Clifford Stanley.