PRESS RELEASE

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING AND COMBATING THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM & PROLIFERATION FINANCING (AML/CFT & PF) TRAINING

The TCI, in compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations continues its efforts to implement measures and enhance its ability to effectively undertake anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) and proliferation financing (PF).

The Attorney General’s Chambers, International Division conducted a one-day training on the on anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism and proliferation financing. The training focused on promoting an understanding of measures within the TCI to ensure the effectiveness of its' framework to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and weapons proliferation.

The training was held on Tuesday, 23rd July, 2019 in the Ministry of Finance Conference Room, Providenciales. Areas covered included an overview of FATF Standards, the TCI’s National Risk Assessment Report and its Outcomes- National AML/CFT Strategy and Action Plan, application of Targeted Financial Sanctions in the TCI and the FATF Mutual Evaluation Process. In attendance were officials from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Gaming Department, Ministry of Immigration, Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Customs Department, Integrity Commission and the Attorney General’s Chambers.

ENDS

The Legislative Drafting Division of the Attorney General’s Chambers hosted a seminar for Senior Managers across the public service on ‘The Legislative Process and Drafting Instructions’.  The seminar took place on Grand Turk at the Life Centre Building on Old Airport Road on 26^th  June 2019.

The seminar focused on four key areas: 

1) how to develop legislative policy; 

2) how to provide quality legislative drafting instructions; 

3) how to prepare Cabinet Papers on Legislative  proposals and frame recommendations; and 

4) the legislative process.

The seminar was geared to Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Heads of Department and generally, persons who are involved in providing legislative drafting instructions to the Attorney General’s Chambers.

This training forms part of the work plan of the Attorney General’s Chambers for the financial year 2019/2020 and sought to strengthen the capacity of senior managers across the public service to promote quality legislative proposals of interest to their respective Ministries and departments. 

Presenters at the Seminar were Ms. Desiree Downes MBE, Principal Legislative Drafter in the Attorney General’s Chambers along with Ms. Gogontle Gatang and Ms. Priscilla Paquette both of whom are Senior Legislative Drafters in the Attorney General’s Chambers. 

There was an overwhelmingly positive response to the interactive sessions with some 7 Ministries, 21 departments 3 Statutory Bodies participating for a total of some 58 persons in attendance. The training consisted of a series of presentations followed by mock exercises designed to test understanding and provided an opportunity for feedback. 

The Hon. Attorney General Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles OBE QC brought remarks and thanked the participants for their strong interest in gaining a better understanding of the Legislative process and how to provide drafting instructions. She noted that the Legislative Drafting division of the Attorney General’s Chambers works in accordance with the Government’s legislative agenda fixed by the Cabinet which sets out the Government’s Legislative priorities for each financial year. The Hon. Attorney General welcomed the opportunity provided by the Seminar to foster greater collaboration across the public sector. 

Due to the high level of interest within the public service and wider public sector, the training seminar will be held again in July on Providenciales and on that occasion will seek to include senior officers of statutory bodies. 

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The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) marked its 20th Anniversary just recently and with 27 Members which includes the Turks and Caicos Islands, represents diversity of ideas, cultures, and languages and of successful approaches to Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing laws and regulations.

CFATF Legal advisor, Ms. Ana Folgar said; “The CFATF pursues the objective of achieving compliance ...with an effective implementation of the FATF Standards to prevent and control money laundering and to combat the financing of terrorism.”

“In that sense, we will strive to speedily adapt the revised Standards in all our Members countries and assist them as they approach their Mutual Evaluations and the challenges of demonstrating effectiveness.”

Attorney General, Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles stated; “I wish to thank the CFATF and the newly established Financial Intelligence Agency of the Turks and Caicos Islands for partnering with me to host this 10th Compliance Conference under the theme: Keeping in step with regulatory requirements as the Standards evolve”

“The main presence here is to advance part of those preparations and of that thinking ahead. Whether you are in the public or private sector you are the most important piece of the implementation machinery.”

The 10th Compliance Conference addressed the most relevant topics in order to put them in practice at a national and private level. The new Financial Action Task Force Standards; National Risk Assessments, Customer Due Diligence, Supervision, Challenges for the TCI, trends and topics that all stakeholders in the AML/CFT industry need to be aware of, and active participation was encouraged.

ENDS