Gov’t, RSS to host anti-corruption workshop – AG Nandlall

–To be held from October 9-13

The Ministry of Legal Affairs has partnered with the Regional Security Service (RSS) Recovery Unit to host a workshop in Guyana that aims to strengthen the nation’s corruption framework to combat financial and organised crimes.

Speaking on this week’s edition of ‘Issues in the News’  Tuesday evening,  Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC said the workshop will run from October 9-13.  

“The agencies that will participate will be judicial officers, magistrates and they will participate in a separate engagement and then the rest of the important law enforcement agencies and state agencies will also participate,” Minister Nandlall disclosed.
State agencies include the Attorney General’s Chambers, Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Bank of Guyana, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and the Guyana Gold Board.

Law enforcement agencies that will also be participating in the workshop include the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Guyana Police Force (GPF), Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

According to the legal affairs minister, a variety of topics will be discussed at the workshop including seizure of cash, orders for persons to produce relevant documents that are connected to Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT/ type of offences, as well as crypto-currency.

Among other relevant topics, persons attending the five-day session will under, “How do you make applications for forfeitures of assets that are believed to be connected or are the proceeds of crime… fundamentals of money laundering, fundamental legal terms, and concepts, the type of evidence is required when one makes an application for these orders,” the Attorney General explained. The initiative is part of the continuous processthat seeks to strengthen the government’s capability to combat corruption, financial, and organised crimes in the country.

Guyana formally joined the RSS, a regional body comprising military and security personnel, after President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali signed the instrument of accession in December 2022. The RSS was established in the early 1970s and 1980s in response to the necessity for a coordinated response to security challenges that were threatening regional stability.