Supervisory authority should govern Attorneys-at-law – AG

… to ensure compliance with AML/CFT Act

Attorney General Basil Williams has expressed the view that there is need for Attorneys-at-law to be supervised by a supervisory authority to ensure compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act.
The Minister’s contention was expressed in a letter of congratulations to the newly elected President of the Guyana Bar Association, Kamal Ramkarran, executives and committee members of the Association.
In the letter the Minister has agreed to meet with the new members of the Bar Association, adding that he hopes to discuss with the executive, issues in relation as to whether the membership of the Bar Association should be extended to State attorneys and the continuing legal education for attorneys-at-law in Guyana.
Williams also thanked the Association for its willingness to assist and collaborate with him in the administration of justice.
The elections for the Association were held at the Victoria Law Courts in Georgetown where the new executive was elected to serve in positions for a period of one year as prescribed by the rules of the Association.
Elected Committee members include Rajendra Poonai, Sanjeev Datadin, Jamela Ali, Mark Waldron, Rexford Jackson and Brenden Glasford.
The elections of the new GBA President and office bearers comes on the heels of a scathing public missive by former Association President (for the 2015 to 2016 yearly term) and outspoken social, political and anti-corruption advocate Christopher Ram.
Ram in his extensive missive observed that the past year has been “a year in which the Bar Association and the wider profession have witnessed oxymoronically, both much happening, and nothing happening.”
The former Bar Association President maintains lawyers are bound by a Code of Conduct under the Legal Practitioners Act “but many it seems pay little attention to its prescriptions, confident that they will get away with whatever.”
He observed too even when lawyers are found “guilty” the strongest punishment they face is being told to refund the fees or money paid to them by their hapless clients.
“In a civilised environment, such action would require publication… Here in Guyana, there is no more than whisper among lawyers while the offending lawyer is free to continue the offending practice.”
According to the former GBA President, his recommendations would be for the Legal Practitioners Committee to be headed by a retired Judge enabled with capable full-time staff, and for all its findings to be publicised since “the public needs protection from unscrupulous practitioners.”
Since assuming office, Ramkarran has given his commitment to ensure that steps are taken to establish a committee which will provide recommendations to the Chief Justice for a new Civil Procedures Rules for the Supreme Court and has vowed to pay keen interest in improving public confidence in lawyers and the legal profession.