The CFATF, through its Law Enforcement Advisor, Mr. Pedro Harry had the privilege of participating in an Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism/Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) sensitisation training for the Judiciary. This valuable session, hosted by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and the Regional Security System-Asset Recovery Unit (RSS-ARU), took place from July 28th to August 1st, 2025, and was attended by Judges and Magistrates from the nine member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
The training benefited from the expertise of facilitators from various organizations, including the RSS-ARU, the Judiciary, the CFATF Secretariat, the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Grenada, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force. The presentations covered AML/CFT/CPF International Obligations for the Eastern Caribbean, money laundering investigations, prosecutions, convictions, asset recovery, and terrorist financing. The judiciary gained practical insights into the content and requirements of the various Proceeds of Crime legislation across the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Member States and engaged in a practical scenario.
The CFATF presentation focused on, inter alia, the importance of robust structural elements, such as an efficient and independent judiciary and the rule of law, in achieving globally acceptable levels of effectiveness. Additionally, the presentation addressed the 5th Round Mutual Evaluation cycle, amendments to the FATF Methodology, and the pivotal role of the judiciary in demonstrating effectiveness concerning International Cooperation (IO2), prioritization of ML and TF cases, implementation of effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions (IO7 and 9), asset recovery (IO8), and the implementation of Targeted Financial Sanctions (IO10 and 11).
The Secretariat also highlighted the performance of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court members regarding IO.7 and IO.8, outlining strengths and weaknesses identified in their Mutual Evaluation Reports. The sessions were interactive, fostering a robust discussion on, inter alia, the suspension of transactions/withholding consent and the requirement to freeze and seize criminal property and property of corresponding value without a court order which are part of the new requirements that focused on asset recovery, and the constitutionality of these measures.
The CFATF values its partnership with the ECCB and the RSS-ARU, recognizing them as strategic allies in our shared commitment to ensuring that our members implement the FATF Recommendations. These two regional organizations individually represent twenty-four percent of the CFATF Members. We look forward to continued collaboration with both organizations, as well as with other regional and international bodies, in our ongoing efforts.