Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Recovering State Assets…World Bank/UN Mission pledge assistance in developing SARU Legislation
A scoping mission from the World Bank and the United Nations (UN) which specializes in state asset recovery initiatives held discussions yesterday with the country’s Attorney General, Basil Williams, at his chambers,
Members of the Legal Affairs Team and the World Bank / United Nations mission during their meeting yesterday.
Waterloo Street, Cummingsburg.
Williams was accompanied by the Chief Parliamentary Council, Mr. Cecil Dhurjon S.C., C.C.H. and the Solicitor General Ms.Sita Ramlal.
The Minister of Legal Affairs described the meeting as an interactive discussion in which the parties exchanged views on the contents of a draft State Assets Recovery Agency Bill and the process involved in securing its final passage through Parliament.
The Attorney General stressed the importance of consulting with the relevant stakeholders whilst the Representatives assured him of their cooperation and willingness to assist in the development of the Bill and its passage through Parliament.
The mission also conducted meetings with various persons attached to the Government and it was agreed that the international team will meet relevant agencies in Guyana to garner the necessary information it would need to craft its action plan for the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU).
Once completed, the World Bank team will present its action plan to SARU on March 28.
SARU made the significant step to garner the support of the United Nations and the World Bank in the fight against corruption in Guyana last year.
SARU’s head, Dr. Clive Thomas, recalled that efforts were being made to get both entities on board through their joint programme called the State Assets Recovery Initiative. He said that after a few discussions, the World Bank and the United Nations decided to come on board based on their own concerns regarding the state of corruption in Guyana.
“We had a number of meetings with them so far and they said that they would be coming to provide technical assistance for us. This is the biggest step for us in terms of international partners and it signals that the international community wants to see us get our act together. With their presence here in Guyana, there is no way that certain PPP wrongdoers could think they will get off the hook,” the economist said.
Additionally, Thomas recalled that the draft legislation for his department is finally completed. More importantly, he said that it has been given the blessings of international asset recovery and fraud specialists.
He had said, “I am happy that this is finally finished. The experts made some extremely useful inputs to the draft legislation in terms of how we are to strengthen our security and how prosecution should be handled. The draft Bill also sees SARU getting the sort of legal backing that it needs when it comes to certain fraud cases.”
“More importantly, I must say that the work of the department under the Ministry of the Presidency is moving along effectively but there are those who feel we are toothless poodles and all sorts of things. These comments come particularly from the opposition.”
“I am not surprised that they are opposed to us. But let me make it clear, the international community and this coalition government understand the importance of this department and they continue to encourage us with our work. SARU has an important responsibility, being the protector against the misuse of state assets.”
“This agency is not going to let anyone who was involved in that ring get away. The full extent of the law shall be there to hold them. And it is for this reason that the Opposition makes `certain comments about us and has a hateful disposition towards us.
“It is nothing but fear. They fear such an agency being strengthened because they know that we are not going to tolerate the corruption that they got away with,” said Dr. Thomas.
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