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QC Farara to advise VI Gov’t on ‘UK Sanctions’ pitfalls

Eminent constitutional lawyer, Gerard St C. Farara QC. Photo: VINO/File
Premier, Dr the Honourable, D. Orlando Smith OBE. Photo: GIS
Premier, Dr the Honourable, D. Orlando Smith OBE. Photo: GIS
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - The Virgin Islands (VI) Government has appointed Collas Crill’s, senior partner and eminent constitutional lawyer, Gerard St C. Farara QC, as a part of its legal team advising on challenges to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act, and the threat to impose publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership, on British Overseas Territories by the United Kingdom (UK).

Collas Crill made the announcement in a press statement on June 6, 2018. According to the VI Law Firm, “alongside Withers Worldwide and leading counsel Dan Sarooshi QC, of Essex Court Chambers and Professor of Law at Oxford University, Gerard will be advising the Government on the potential legal challenges to the imposition of a public register of beneficial ownership.”

The Collas Crill statement said, the Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Honourable, D. Orlando Smith OBE, believes the amendments, "would raise serious constitutional and human rights issues and would be subject to constitutional challenge."

Defiant VI

The decision by the UK to make mandatory the public registers, has been met with resolute defiance in the VI, with close to 5,000 persons taking to the streets in Road Town, Tortola, on May 24, 2018, to protest the move by the UK Government.

The demonstration was held in wake of the UK House of Commons and House of Lords supporting the amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill, demanding that only Overseas Territories located in the Caribbean operate registers of beneficial ownership.

The move, according to critics, could essentially kill the VI’s financial services sector, which accounts for 60 cents of every dollar in the economy.

The Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill, has since received the Royal Assent and became an Act on May 23, 2018.

The VI Government says it will only comply when the standard becomes a global one.

5 Responses to “QC Farara to advise VI Gov’t on ‘UK Sanctions’ pitfalls ”

  • Not2Sure (10/06/2018, 11:57) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    just a plot to keep him busy form running with the VIP SMH
  • yrral (10/06/2018, 14:25) Like (2) Dislike (11) Reply
    Why was these people protesting ,millionaires and billionaires,laundering their money fromvtaxes,the US government has cut taxes ,for the rich drastically,the Virgin Island should impose a sale tax on some good,giving subsidy to people,using the ferry from Saint Croix to St Thomas,free movement is a right ,and should be for only the wealthy,it w
  • JA (11/06/2018, 07:02) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Waste of time if you may ask me
  • just noticing (11/06/2018, 21:35) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply

    As a lawyer he and the previously named law firm he had, represented some of the worst financial institutions
    and banks in the world. he protected what has become a cancer in the BVI from any legal consequences insofar
    as the letter of the law goes. He is an espionage agent with the blessings of the government......

  • pat (12/06/2018, 08:38) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Farara better make up is mind to run this time, as time waits for no one


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