International Narcotics Control Report…USA anticipates tangible progress in fight against corruption, probes

May 24, 2017 News

The United States of America is looking forward to tangible progress in Guyana. This is especially as it relates to investigations, prosecutions, and the enforcement of laws regarding anti-money laundering and financial crimes.

SARU Head, Dr. Clive Thomas

This is according to the 2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (Volume 1: Drug and Chemical Control).
On the issue of corruption, the report noted that as a matter of policy, the Government of Guyana does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.
The report also highlighted the fact that Guyana is a party to the Inter-American Convention against Corruption. It was noted however that Guyana has not “fully implemented” the Convention’s provisions, such as the seizure of property obtained through corruption.
The government, however, has made moves towards this end with the establishment of the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU). The government was also successful in having legislation passed for SARU to become a formal institution, with accommodation to be arranged beyond the walls of the Ministry of the Presidency.
Under the former regime, Guyana lost between $28B and $35B every year through procurement fraud and an estimated $188B through the underground economy. This is according to the State Asset Recovery Unit.
The SARU officials have said that the aforementioned is actually a “conservative” numerical image of the state of corruption under the former administration.
Furthermore, SARU officials have noted that in accordance with Article 54 (1) (c) of the United Nations’ Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), each State Party must “consider taking such measures as may be necessary to allow confiscation of property without criminal conviction”.
The anti-corruption body said that it is in this context that the SARA legislation was designed to facilitate the recovery of illicitly obtained property through civil processes, with the primary objective of reducing the consequential damaging effects of corruption on sustainable development.
In some areas of corruption, SARU officials said that the size of loss speaks for itself.
The anti-corruption body said that the scale of corruption discovered by SARU, to date, is astounding.
It has also acknowledged that the Guyanese population is eager to see the country’s assets recovered and appropriate action taken against the perpetrators of corruption.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News