Sensitive financial position remains vacant for 2 years

Opinion of those involve in discussion remains divided

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 15: A heated discussion was witnessed at official and financial levels related to the continued vacant position of the head of the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU), reports Al-Qabas daily.

The discussion follows the issue of money laundering operations involving millions of dinars – believed to be a product of corruption or suspicious transactions which has become the talk of the town in the media.

It is noteworthy to mention the FIU does not have a ‘head’ since Basil AlHaroun resigned from this position in

April 2018, nearly two years ago.

The opinion of those involved in the discussions remained divided between those who say this position has reached a ‘dangerous’ level and those who feel the position is deliberately kept vacant for ‘something to happen’, while yet others feel an appropriate person has yet to be found to assume the presidency of this very sensitive position.

Well-informed financial sources told the daily international organizations concerned with combating money laundering and combating terrorist financing have expressed their surprise at this continued vacancy, wondering the real reason behind this.

The sources pointed out that the FIU is no less important than other oversight bodies such as the Central Bank, the Audit Bureau, the AntiCorruption Authority, the Capital

Markets Authority and the Financial Supervisory Authority, rather, it is most important in view of the concerned international parties because it has huge tasks to perform to uphold the country’s reputation in the business and money world given its transparency.