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SOCU will not be removed from GPF jurisdiction – Harmon

Sep 16, 2016 News

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has made it clear that there has been no Cabinet decision to place the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) under the superintendence of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. In fact, he said that that was never even a consideration.
At yesterday’s post Cabinet press briefing, the Minister said that Opposition Member of Parliament, Anil Nandlall has misconstrued the utterance of Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams and the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan.
Recently, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, told media operatives that SOCU should be allowed to assist the other police departments with investigations during their down time. However, Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General had noted, that the unit must not lose focus of its core functions in policing the new Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system. Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall had expressed concern regarding what he described as “added protocols to the Unit’s operations”
Harmon said, “Clearly, there was a misconception by Nandlall about the statements made by both Ministers…The matter did come up at Cabinet and it was clear that there is no diversion, and that it is clear that SOCU is a unit under the Guyana Police Force.”
On the issue of whether there was uncertainty regarding the unit falling under the purview of the Ministry of Public Security or Ministry of Legal Affairs; Minister Harmon said that the body falls under the ambit of the GPF and will remain there.
“Minister Williams did say that SOCU will have a wider role as far as the Anti-Money Laundering Legislation is concerned, however it was never said that the unit must be under (Minister Williams),” said Harmon.
SOCU was established in 2013 as one of the recommendations outlined by the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) programme of activities to ensure Guyana’s compliance with international financial obligations.
SOCU is mandated to investigate suspected money laundering crimes, and to prosecute persons suspected of terrorism and financial offences.

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