Press Release No 28 –
National AML Conference
Press Release No: 28/2011
Date: 24 October 2011
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) announced today that the 3rd National Anti-money Laundering (AML) conference will be held on 9 November 2011 at the Holiday Inn in Suva. The theme for the conference is “Prosecuting Money Laundering Crimes” and will have distinguished speakers from local law enforcement agencies and the private sector.
The Director of the FIU, Mr. Razim Buksh said a critical aspect of combating money laundering in Fiji is ensuring the people engaged in laundering proceeds of crime are also brought to justice. Mr. Buksh added that by prosecuting money launderers, we are telling criminals and their associates that crime does not pay. The conference will be officially opened by the Prime Minister, Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama. Conference speakers include the Attorney-General & Minister for Justice, Mr. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum; former High Court Judge, Ms Nazhat Shameem; the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Mosese Korovou; Chairman of the Association of Banks in Fiji, Mr. Norman Wilson; the Police Commissioner, Brigadier General Iowane Naivalurua; High Court Judge, Justice Sithambarampillai Thurairaja; Director FIU, Mr. Razim Buksh and the Officer-in-Charge Police AML Unit, Mr. Puran Lal.
The conference will also have a panel discussion led by the Solicitor General and Chairman of the National AML Council, Mr. Christopher Pryde. The panel will discuss the roles of various stakeholders, such as financial institutions, the FIU, Police, the Office of the DPP and the judiciary in combating complex financial crimes in Fiji. Mr. Buksh said that the one day conference is expected to be attended by more than 150 delegates representing law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, the public prosecutions office, relevant government departments, and financial and non-financial entities that are covered by the Financial Transactions Reporting Act and other stakeholders. The conference is organised by the FIU and supported by the National AML Council and the Reserve Bank of Fiji.