SHARE
Mark: Govt wants to
'
IN THE SENATE
GOVERNMENT is calling on non-profit organisations (NPO) to register so that they can 'macco' their business.
'They (the Government) want to know who financing who and who helping who,' Opposition Senator Wade Mark said as he contributed to the Non-Profit Organisations Bill in the Senate, at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, yesterday.
Mark said the bill was 'dangerous, unlawful, arbitrary, authoritarian and dictatorial'.
'This Government wants to hijack, kidnap NPOs using FATF (Financial Action Task Force) as a cover,' he said.
He called on Government to withdraw the bill because it 'could not be fixed' and to consult with non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
'If you don't, you will meet us in the court of law,' he warned.
Mark said 83 NPOs were calling on the Attorney General to meet with them to flesh out the legislation.
These organisations included the Board of Social Responsibility of the Anglican Church, Caribbean Centre for Human Rights, Emancipation Support Committee, Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Family Planning Association, Families In Action, National Muslim Women's Organisation, Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women, Papa Bois Conservation, Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies and Womantra.
Going after bake-andshark Noting the Attorney General had said the bill was part of the country's international financial obligations, Mark said: 'This Government has a practice of coming at the last minute and saying, 'FATF. If we don't pass, is blacklist and shutdown'.'
However, he said the Opposition will not bullied by international organisations nor will it act as a rubber stamp for legislation.
In an apparent reference to the rental costs of No 3 Alexandra Street, St Clair, Mark said: 'What about companies that making $23 million in three years? You not touching them? But you going after the bake-andshark people.'
Noting someone who served over three years in jail could not qualify to become a comptroller of an NPO, Mark said: 'Government always praising Wayne Chance (of Vision on Mission). But Poor Wayne ain't know they have a trap for him.
'What we are witnessing is State capture by powerful interest groups, and they are using these measures in order to destroy these organisations that have been established over the decades.'
Mark said Government could use the bill 'as a tool to dampen dissent'.
'Is it also designed to deal with trade unions?' he asked. 'It is so broad and wide, it can take in anybody?'
Noting the bill allows for the forfeiture of assets, Mark said it was an 'open assault on private property rights.
He said too much power was being given to the regulator (which is the Financial Intelligence Unit-FIU) and to the Registrar General.
He also said it was a conflict of interest to have the FIU functioning as both the regulator and the investigator in the legislation.
'We don't believe the FIU should have any business with NGOs or NPOs,' he said.
He said Government threw the concerns expressed by the Law Association 'in the rubbish bin'.
people
SHARE
