Financial Intelligence Centre Act schedule amendments: finalisation

Meeting report

Consideration of the Committee Report on the Draft Amendment of Schedules 1, 2 and 3 to the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001

The Chairperson welcomed the Members to the meeting and asked if they had any proposed amendments or additions to the Report that was agreed upon in the meeting last Friday. A recommendations and observations section has since been added from the Committee meeting on Tuesday. He reminded Members the Bill was largely technical and there was clarity on the issues of agreement and non-agreement amongst Members from previous meetings.

The Chairperson said he went through the observations and recommendations carefully.

The Committee went through the observations and recommendations.

Members indicated that they did not have any proposed amendments or additions to the Report.

Mr D Ryder (DA, Gauteng) moved for the adoption of the report and was seconded by Mr E Njadu (ANC, Western Cape).

Mr Ryder said the report was excellent and captured well.

The Chairperson thanked the staff for excellent work.

The Chairperson said the Report was adopted with no amendments. All the parties supported the Report, while the FF+ chose to reserve its position on the Report.

The Chairperson made some comments on the , noting some civil society organisations had “complained bitterly” to him but he instructed them to talk to the National Assembly as that was where the Bill was in terms of process. He noted the Select Committee would get the Bill very late but the Committee must be committed to finish the Bill [before the end of the year] as it was a critical matter.

The Chairperson said he was aware of the “internal politics” holding up the Bill and cautioned against frequent changing of Ministers especially for finance, as this contributed to the delay. He also said this was “very bad form” on the part of Treasury.

The meeting was adjourned.