Moonilal: We are co-parents of law

OROPOUCHE East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal says the Unexplained Wealth Bill was fundamentally flawed, but haas been greatly improved by amendments from the Opposition. “We are co-parents of the bill.”

He was speaking as Senate amendments on the bill were being considered in the House yesterday. He said the Opposition, led by the Opposition Leader, proposed 100 amendments and Government accepted about 14.

“If the Government gave birth, the Opposition gave it oxygen. Without oxygen it would have been a disaster.”

He listed a number of amendments from the Opposition that had been reportedly accepted by the Government including: increasing the reach to terrorist property and instrumentalities of crime; making the property manager subject to conflict of interest; removing power from Cabinet and ministers; placing consultants and advisers “who destroyed Petrotrin” under the ambit of the law; time frame for the State to act and resolve matters so people’s reputations would not be “destroyed”; and changing from “alleged to be” to “reasonable grounds.”

“There are many ‘allegators’ in this country. Not all in murky lagoons,” Moonilal quipped. He said the erosion of citizens’ rights and the triggering of draconian powers could not be based on an allegation.

Acting Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds said he did not see 100 amendments and most of the Opposition’s amendments were grammatical in nature. He added the Opposition had opposed the legislation and the Opposition Leader threatened to take the Government to court.

“They speak loftily about being co-author, but they were opposed to and hate the measures because it did not require a special majority.” On the Non-Profit Bill, Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie asked if Hinds realised how far-reaching the amendments were and how flawed the original bill was. He said the amendments helped address the absence of precision in the legislation.

Tewarie said without the new single-event exemption, events like the fundraising “choka night” in Preysal would not have been possible. The amendments to the Unexplained Wealth Bill and Non-Profit Organisations Bill were voted on and passed yesterday. Both bills are part of TT’s obligations to the Financial Action Task Force.