Tue, Mar 18, 2014

http://allafrica.com/stories/201403180945.html?viewall=1

Monrovia — The Chairman of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission says security and intelligence survey conducted on Liberia by International groups has named Liberia as boiling point for several of criminal conducts and as such it requires concerted efforts to safeguard the country from being used for these criminal acts.

Cllr. James Verdier named child trafficking, drugs, terrorist financing and money laundering as some of the crimes that are being pointed out as criminal activities taking place in Liberia.

Cllr. Verdier said: "These criminal practices have serious consequences on the peace, security and territorial integrity of Liberia. While we look to the government to adopt laws and establish cultures to address these growing criminal activities in Liberia, we, as citizens and residents of Liberia, share equal responsibilities to ensure the protection of our soil, sovereignty, peace and stability".

The LACC Chairman cautioned Liberians to report to security authorities' strange movements of goods, cargos and suspicious financial transactions.

Speaking at the official launched of a civil society group, under the banner - 'Center Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Liberia' (CAMTEFIL) he called on other Liberians to support the initiative to disseminate information to the public about the unlawful practices of money laundering.

He stressed the need for government to strengthen and capacitate institutions involved with providing awareness about existing laws which, according to him will give force and meaning to all of the laws especially financial laws.

"The LACC welcomes the establishment of CAMTEFIL as a necessary and unavoidable partner in its drive to minimize the occurrence of corruption in public and private institutions by insisting on transparency, accountability and integrity in the administration and operation of entrusted public duties and responsibilities," Cllr. Verdier added.

Also speaking at the launching program the country director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) Ms. Massa Crayton said, in efforts by OSIWA to create an open society the issue of integrity is one of the major threats. She called on Liberians and the national government to make efforts in eliminating the threats of integrity issues before it manifests itself into real issues.

Ms. Crayton said: "Liberia is highlighted as one of the threats in financing terrorist money laundering; our intervention with this grant is to create the awareness in promoting the anti-money laundering law."

Mr. Edwin W. Harris, Jr., National Director, CAMTEFIL, in a remark said, the organization unlike other civil society organizations is limited to Money laundering, anti-terrorism financing and illicit drugs.

He also disclosed that the organization has received a grant of one hundred and nine thousand United States dollars from OSIWA to carry out sensitization on the anti money laundering law and will collaborate with the National Legislature Committees on Investment and Banking and Currency in creating awareness about the law.

He also named dual currency as one major contributing factor to Money laundering in Liberia because according to him on a daily basis Liberia receives lots of foreign currency through investment and other activities.

Harris said: "As we go into the 18 months we will expose and give evidence to the public so that they can be also mindful in contributing to safeguarding our economy."

Under the project title and theme: Capacity Building and Sensitization Campaign against Money Laundering, Illicit Drugs and Terrorist Financing in Liberia", CAMTEFIL will use the project to get more citizens, including youth and women, to speak openly against financial and economic crimes and issues of drugs

The project aims to ensure that pressure mounts on the government to increase actions against perpetrators of financial and economic crimes as well as reform policies on drug-related issues; sharpen knowledge of appropriate oversight Committees of the legislature on the dangers of money laundering, terrorist financing and drug trafficking to the national economy.

Effective legislative oversight and control in the fiscal financial management to increase understanding by oversight lawmakers of gray areas covered in concession contracts, increase consciousness of Liberians of the threats posed by the laundering of money, drug trafficking and terrorist financing.