Caribbean Businesses Preparing for Upcoming Round of Anti-Money Laundering Mutual Evaluation.
Press Release
In 2015, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) is launching a process where countries of the region will be evaluated on their compliance to the Anti-Money Laundering regime.
The Mutual Evaluation will trigger various reactions from national authorities. According to Michelle Martin president of ComplianceAid “One thing is certain, regulated businesses will be subject to more scrutiny. Every government in the region wants to demonstrate progress in implementing Anti-Money Laundering measures. Lack of progress can imply sanctions and no country wants to see additional sanctions imposed on the Caribbean.”
In this context, Mr. Cleviston Haynes, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados will deliver a keynote address to owners and board of directors members of regulated businesses on Emerging trends and Critical threats requiring consideration. This presentation will take place on April 16 at first Caribbean Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Board of Directors Conference held at the Conrad Hotel in Miami.
According to Antigua born organizer, Ms. Michelle Martin, this event is key since “all board members and business owners are required under Anti-Money Laundering laws to receive training annually. Given the workload regulation impose on Compliance Officers, it is a challenge for many organization to design training specifically for their owners or board members. The conference is a great opportunity because all content is aligned with board and business owners’ preoccupations.”
This two-day gathering is designed to provide a deep understanding of the heighten responsibility Board of Directors and Owners bear under AML/CFT laws. To this end a group of high profile regulators from the Caribbean and the U.S. will address current issues facing companies in the region.
“Never before so many heads of Caribbean Anti-Money Laundering agencies have come together to meet with business leaders. This highlight their resolution to ensure each country is ready for the upcoming Mutual Evaluation. It really is a must attend event.” adds Jean Morency co-organizer of the conference.
Every regulated entity should send a least one representative to this very important conference for the Caribbean. In addition, to meeting the heads of the largest enforcement agencies, participants will comply with regulation for their annual mandatory AML training. ComplianceAid will issue a certificate to each participant. The historic event is also a great opportunity to exchange with other business leaders of the region challenged by similar regulatory issues.
The conference will cover hot topics such as FATCA and the OECD’s Automatic Tax Information Exchange System that will be implemented by most Caribbean territories in 2017-18. Increasing fines and law enforcement focus for 2015 are among some of the 20 topics covered at the conference.
Mr. Calvin Wilson, the Executive Director from Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) will deliver one of the keynote address. Other prestigious speakers include: Mr. Robin Sykes, Chief Technical Director, Financial Investigations Division (Jamaica); Mrs. Susan S. François, Director, Financial Intelligence Unit (Trinidad and Tobago); Mr. Lindsey Cacho, Director, Financial Reporting Authority (Cayman Islands); Lt. Col Edward H Croft, Director, ONDCP (Antigua & Barbuda); Mr. Cleviston Haynes, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Barbados, Ms. Kozel Creese, Attorney-at-Law, Financial Intelligence Unit (St. Vincent and the Grenadines); Mr. Ian McDonald, Detective Inspector / Head, Financial Intelligence Unit (Anguilla); Dr. Christopher Malcolm, Lecturer at the UWI Faculty of Law at Mona (Kingston, Jamaica), Partner at Malcolm Gordon, Chair at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Caribbean Branch) & Former British Virgin Islands Attorney General.
This conference is open to every regulated businesses across the Caribbean. “Organizers are expecting Compliance Officers, Attorneys, Accountants or an Auditors to bring this conference to the attention their Board or Business owners. It is a conference like no other, organized specifically to address the needs of the Caribbean businesses” says Ms. Martin. Management team may also register. A special invitation is extended to all enforcement agencies (FIA, FIU, ONDCP, FSC, FSRC, Securities Regulatory Commissions, etc). More information at complianceaid.pro.
More details at http://complianceaid.pro/
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