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“SARA will come for you!”
– AG puts corrupt public officials on notice
The State Assets Recovery Bill 2016, which is expected to be presented to the National Assembly after Parliament’s recess period, will pave the way for the creation of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA).
AG and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams
This was revealed by Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams during a press conference at his Chambers, Carmichael Street Georgetown yesterday.
Williams stated that the Bill has been sometime in the making and would have seen input from various international entities such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and a British Expert who would have worked in collaboration with the AG’s Chambers.
He added that the Bill – which is one of the elements that will aid in the fight against corruption – has about six parts, and is designed to create the SARA. He asserted that persons who would have left office and think that they are in the clear should think twice.
“It’s a timely Bill and our Government welcomes it. And of course public officials means past and present; so it doesn’t mean that because you have left public office that you have escaped the reach of SARA,”
The Press Conference was facilitated one day before the holding of Public Consultations on the Bill, scheduled to be hosted today at Le Meridian Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.
The consultation is aimed at retrieving and taking into consideration the input by members of society and various local and international organisations, with representatives from the United States Embassy, United Nations and the World Bank; the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and United Kingdom specialists, among others expected to be present.
Asked how long before the Bill can be presented to the National Assembly, the AG stated that the provisions are clear and he does not see any complexity in the Bill. He hinted that it will be presented following Parliament’s recess which is currently in effect.
Williams was quizzed further on how the absence of the Bill has affected the performance of SARU.
“SARU has been conducting investigations and that’s why the Bill is so important, because during the process of their investigations they found that when they requested information from various agencies, that information wasn’t forthcoming,” Williams said.
The Bill is largely to ensure that state assets unlawfully acquired by public officials and any other persons could be returned. He pointed out also, that the Bill is vital in the war against corruption by public officials and their cohorts.
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