By CLINT CHAN TACK Saturday, October 10 2009

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GAPING HOLE...AGAIN: Two days after repairs were carried out on a collapsed culvert near the Performing Arts Academy at the Queen's Park Savannah, whi...

GOVERNMENT cannot deal with money launderers if it cannot deal with Udecott chairman Calder Hart, Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj charged yesterday during debate in the House of Representatives on amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Bill 2009.

Observing that ordinary police officers cannot deal with money launderers, Maharaj claimed that a Counter Task Force established to fight money laundering was inactive. “Since 2002 to now, there has been no prosecution or conviction for money laundering,” he declared.

“If they cannot deal with Calder Hart how they could deal with money laundering?” Maharaj asked. Slamming the absence from the debate of National Security Minister Martin Joseph who was supposed to pilot the amendments, Maharaj said House Leader Colm Imbert was “handicapped” because he did not have all the information at his disposal. Maharaj assured Government that if he could be convinced the amended legislation would be enforced, “I would support this 100 percent.”

Responding to Maharaj about the Counter Task Force, Attorney General John Jeremie said: “It would be unfair to beat the task force with the stick of inactivity. They are working and the measure we seek to pass today is designed to give teeth to the operations of the task force.”

Jeremie disclosed that this unit has to date eliminated 13,200 reports of suspicious activity “as being related to any sort of criminal activity.” The AG said the task force is now investigating 200 reports of suspicious activity.

“They have been doing that without legislative support because your (UNC) Proceeds of Crime Act was held to be unconstitutional until quite recently. It has only been revived in February 2009,” he added.

Imbert rejected Maharaj’s claim that Government was trying to create a new offence in the bill regarding non-disclosure of a criminal action. He reminded all MPs that this offence was created when the bill was passed in the House on June 3, “with a three-fifths majority.”

“Therefore it is not correct to say that we are coming here seeking your approval to make this an offense. We are seeking your approval for the penalty but the offense was already passed in this House,” he declared. Stating that Maharaj missed his chance, Imbert quipped: “ I don’t know where you were when the Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill was being debated. Were you in court? Were you out of the country? Or were you sleeping?”

Princes Town North MP Subhas Panday asked how Government could pass these amendments and amendments to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Bill in the absence of whistle blower legislation and proper witness protection programme. “Everything is coming under the PNM! People in Trinidad and Tobago are killed for lesser matters than these,” Panday scoffed.

Jeremie informed Panday that Cabinet approved the proclamation notice for both bills and they would be proclaimed into law today (Saturday). Earlier in the sitting, Speaker Barry Sinanan received a petition from constituents of Chaguanas West which called for the Uff Commission of Inquiry to complete its work. The petition was given to Sinanan by Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters on behalf of Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner who is out of the country. Sinanan said the petition would be read when the House next sits on Wednesday.