Law Enforcers and Financial Agents Receive Training on Anti Money Laundering Schemes

Contact: Dana Augustin

  Wednesday, July 05, 2000 – The first Anti – Money Laundering Seminar in Saint Lucia got underway on Wednesday July 05 at the conference room of the Francis Compton Building on the Castries Waterfront.  This three-day activity brings together officials from the Caribbean Anti – Money Laundering Programme and representatives of various financial and law enforcement agencies, to devise workable strategies for preventing and controlling money laundering in the Caribbean.

Speaking at the opening seminar, Minister for Legal Affairs, Home Affairs and Labour, Honourable Velon John indicated that as a society and region we must be able to deal with money laundering in all of its perverse forms and manifestations.  “The awareness that we perceive seems to be lacking, not only in terms of the generality of the public but also in relation to those who should be professionally involved in the fight against money laundering.” 

The five-year Caribbean Anti –Money Laundering Programme, sponsored by the European Union, the United States of America and the United Kingdom will deal with the issue of promoting national security among Small Island Developing States like Saint Lucia.

According to the Programme Manager and Caribbean Financial Action Task Force representative, Brian Reynolds, the programme will seek to train individuals from the financial sector and law enforcement agencies to enhance their response to detecting and preventing cases of money laundering.  Said Reynolds,  “Very often it is the financial sector that knows or suspects money laundering issues before any law enforcement are involved. Law enforcement officers, police officers, customs officers and other disciplines that are concerned with battling money laundering where prevention actually fails will be sensitized to money laundering practices.  We will make every effort to help Saint Lucia prepare itself for Anti – Money Laundering practices.”

January this year, saw the enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act in Parliament.  As stated by the recently published “Handbook on Financial Institutions Statutory Obligations For Money Laundering Prevention,” the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Home Affairs and Labour is placing great emphasis on training of all professionals who are required to meet the relevant statutory obligations for money laundering.  

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