The Central Bank of The Bahamas has announced that it will host along with The Group of Financial Services Regulators of The Bahamas, The 2018 National AML/CFT Risk Management Conference. The Governor of the Central Bank of The Bahamas in making the announcement stated that “We at the Central Bank of The Bahamas are pleased … Read More
AML
EU Council on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
The Council has agreed its negotiating stance on strengthened EU rules to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Today the Permanent Representatives Committee, on behalf of the Council, asked the incoming presidency to start talks with the European Parliament. The draft directive pursues two main objectives: (a) preventing the financial system being used for the … Read More
Equipping Lawyers in Fight Against Corruption
The OECD has joined forces with the [International Bar Association](http://www.ibanet.org/) (IBA) to form a task force to develop professional conduct standards and practice guidance for lawyers involved in establishing and advising on international commercial structures and recommended actions for governments. The OECD-IBA Task Force on The Role of Lawyers and International Commercial Structures is expected … Read More
Measures to Combat Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation in Switzerland
The FATF has concluded an assessment of Switzerland’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) system, based on the 2012 FATF Recommendations. This assessment reviews both the level of effectiveness of Switzerland’s AML/CFT regime as well as its level of technical compliance with the FATF Recommendations. Overall, Switzerland’s AML/CFT regime is technically robust and has achieved … Read More
European Council Adopts Directive on Access to Beneficial Ownership Information
The Council today adopted a Directive granting access for tax authorities to information held by authorities responsible for the prevention of money laundering. According to a release from the EU, the Directive will require member states to provide access to information on the beneficial ownership of companies. It will enable tax authorities to access that … Read More
European Parliament – Automatic Exchange of Bank Account Information
Members of the European parliament (MEPs) [have approved plans](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20161117IPR51550/tax-evasion-meps-back-automatic-exchange-of-bank-data-to-track-account-owners) to allow European tax authorities to automatically share certain information about bank account holders in order to prevent tax evasion and other financial crimes. Changes to a 2011 directive on “administrative cooperation” in tax matters come into force immediately, and must be implemented by member states … Read More
FATF October Plenary
The first Plenary meeting of Plenary year FATF-XXVIII was held in Paris on 19-21 October, under the Spanish Presidency of Mr. Juan Manuel Vega-Serrano. The Plenary dealt with a number of issues, including: * Work on Terrorist Financing * FATF Work to Improve Transparency and Access to Beneficial Ownership Information * Correspondent Banking Relationships *(Guidance … Read More
FATF Report to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has published its report to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors which sets out its on-going work to improve the implementation of international standards on transparency, including on the availability and exchange of beneficial ownership information, to prevent the misuse of companies, trusts, and other corporate vehicles. Improving … Read More
FATF Plenary Meeting
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) held its fourth meeting of the FATF-XXVII Plenary Year in Busan, Korea June 22-24 – under the Korean Presidency of Mr. Je-yoon Shin. The main issues dealt with were: * Work on terrorist financing * Two public documents identifying jurisdictions that may pose a risk to the international financial … Read More
The Fight Against Illicit Financial Flows
The OECD says the issue of illicit financial flows (IFFS) is at the forefront of the international agenda. Both the OECD and the [High Level Panel](http://www.uneca.org/iff) on IFFS from Africa have focused attention on this problem – and have identified ways in which to tackle it. In the wake of recent revelations in the media … Read More
12
The Hon. K. Peter Turnquest was born on August 22nd, 1964 in the Bahamas and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Prairie View A&M University, and his MBA from Nova Southeastern University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has been in public and private practice for over 30 years in the area of financial accounting and reporting, audit, corporate services, merges & acquisitions, receiverships and liquidations. Mr. Turnquest has had wide business experience having led international sales and manufacturing operations in several countries.
A former Attorney-General of The Bahamas and one of Her Majesty’s Queens Counsel, John’s practice concentration are financial services law and regulation, corporate governance, business restructuring & insolvency, and commercial litigation. He has also been advisor in several major acquisitions and mergers within The Bahamas, and also in acquisitions by or mergers with regional entities.
The Honourable Brent Symonette presently serves as the Minister of Financial Services, Trade & Industry and Immigration. In May 2017, Minister Symonette was elected as the Member of Parliament representing the constituency of St. Anne’s, Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas. An alumnus of Brunel University in Middlesex, England, he graduated with a BSc (Hons.) in Law and Political Science. He is a Barrister-at-Law having been called to the Bahamas Bar in 1978. Mr. Symonette is a respected and experienced politician having served in many governmental capacities for approximately thirty (30) years. His political career began in 1987 where he was appointed to the Senate of The Bahamas serving in this capacity for two consecutive five year terms. In 2002, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Montagu Constituency. During his parliamentary career he served as Minister of Tourism and Attorney General, Deputy Leader of the Free National Movement Party (FNM), Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
Valdez K. Russell serves as the principal of VKR Insights, a communications and reputation management agency. Throughout his professional career, Valdez has been instrumental in facilitating public relations and communication strategies to help individuals and organizations to build relationships and influence change.
Diego Zuluaga is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, where he covers financial technology and consumer credit. Before joining Cato, Zuluaga was Head of Financial Services and Tech Policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London. While at the IEA, he authored papers on the social value of finance, the role of offshore centers, the regulation of online platforms, and the taxation of capital income, among others. His work has been featured in print and broadcast media, such as the Times, Newsweek, and the Daily Telegraph. Zuluaga is a prolific public speaker as well as a former lecturer in economics at the University of Buckingham.
Ms. Christina R. Rolle is the Executive Director of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas, having been appointed effective 26 January 2015. Ms. Rolle has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Over the course of her career, Ms. Rolle has acted as Director and Deputy CEO for a prominent international private bank and held various senior managerial positions with local and other international institutions including Head of Trust and Fiduciary, Head of Risk, Compliance and Corporate Governance and Manager of Banking Services.
Mr. James H. Smith is currently in retirement since June, 2007. Before then, he served in Parliament as a Senator and in the Cabinet of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas as the Minister of State for Finance during the period 2002 to 2007.
Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright is a partner in Callenders & Co., The Bahamas’ oldest law firm and recipient of numerous international awards of recognition including the Corporate International Global Award.
Michael Allen has professional expertise in corporate and commercial law, including derivatives law as it relates to the participation by Bahamian entities in financial derivatives transactions, real estate & development, aviation law and wealth management.
Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar joined Glinton Sweeting O’Brien as a partner in July 2015. In her practice she specializes in the structuring and creation of vehicles (including investment funds) for multinational institutional clients as well as private clients; she also advises on corporate transactions, securities law (including public and private offerings) as well as general commercial matters.
Ryan Pinder has been a partner in the law firm of Graham Thompson since January 2016. His practice areas include banking law, corporate and commercial law, investment funds, securities law, capital markets, trusts and estate planning and structuring. He specialises in financial services solutions, planning and wealth management for high net worth individuals and families, and their associated companies and businesses throughout the world.