With most Members of Parliament (MPs) critical of the draft Penal Procedure Code (see Saturday paper) there is growing fear that included steps to comply with anti-money-laundering and -terrorism-financing recommendations won’t be adopted in time to meet the deadline set by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). Having already received a public statement, the country then risks being blacklisted which, according to experts including the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten (CBCS), would have disastrous implications for the local tourism economy.
As there doesn’t seem to be majority support for the present proposal, the question becomes: what now? Some suggested the recommendations be dealt with in separate legislation, but Justice Minister Egbert Doran had already indicated this might take too long.
More probable is that amendments will be made to the draft code in which the reservations and objections of elected representatives are addressed, as announced by Parliament President Rolando Brison. However, any significant changes could affect the required parity with those of the other Dutch Caribbean countries that fall under the same Joint Court of Justice headquartered in Willemstad.
This issue clearly requires the necessary urgency, which is why it was mentioned by Governor Eugene Holiday as priority task for both the outgoing and incoming cabinets. The fact that Doran will get another portfolio in the soon-to-be-appointed new Council of Ministers and current MP Anna Richardson is to take over justice brings added concern that the switch may cause even more delay.
As stated earlier, if this matter goes terribly wrong with all possible consequences, the public will know who is to be held responsible.
