28 March 2008
The Council of Ministers is to hold a public meeting on Thursday 10 April, at which representatives from non-profit organisations and other interested members of the public will be able to hear more about the draft NPO law and raise any issues they may have.
Last week, the Council of Ministers reaffirmed the importance of
Jersey
joining in the international effort to combat the financing of terrorism, following the 9/11 terrorist attack in the
USA
and recommendations issued by the Financial Action Task Force, and for this to be independently confirmed by the IMF when they visit the island later this year.
The Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker, said: “We want to be seen to be meeting our international obligations but I want to emphasise that we intend to do so with the least burden possible being placed on local NPOs that can be judged to be ‘lower risk’. The meeting will be a further opportunity to listen to local concerns. We have already showed we are listening to these concerns by announcing that there will be no registration fee.”
The meeting will be a further opportunity to explain that under the draft NPO law the vast majority of NPOs will only have to provide the following information:
-
the name of the NPO
- details of its status
- a statement of what it has been set up to do
- details of how it may be contacted, and
- an indication of what it is expected to raise and disburse each year in Jersey and outside.
The intention is to offer every possible assistance to local NPOs in meeting this and the other requirements of the law so that there should be no reason for them to fear that they will be in breach of the law by default.
Notes to Editors:
1. The meeting will be held on Thursday 10 April at St. Pauls Centre at 5.30pm. Refreshments will be provided.
2. The definition of an NPO has been amended such that: “NPO means a trust, person or body of persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated, that, with the intention of benefiting the public, is primarily engaged in raising or disbursing funds, or both for charitable, religious, cultural, educational, social or fraternal purposes.”
3. The FATF is the inter-governmental body responsible for setting international standards for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
4. The draft law has been put forward on the recommendation of the Island’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Strategy Group, established to coordinate Jersey’s response to the threat of financial crime and terrorism.
5. Early in the consultation process, the Chief Minister announced that no registration fee would be payable by NPOs. In 2008, such costs will be covered by a grant from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund and from 2009 they will be covered by the Jersey Financial Services Commission.
6. Prior to the meeting the Strategy Group will be issuing the responses to the consultation received to-date.
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