Singapore will no longer share information related to money laundering or related cases voluntarily, taxes official from Singapore said on Saturday.
The decision comes after the Singapore’s Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office (STRO) took displeasure to reports of alleged overseas bank accounts of Congress leader and industrialist, Naveen Jindal, which appeared in the Indian media.
Equivalent of India’s Financial Intelligence Unit, the STRO had shared the information on the Jindals without any reference from India.
The Singapore authorities have made it known that the breach of confidentiality vitiates the information collaboration arrangement on anti-money laundering among the FIUs, known as the Egmont group of which, both India and the island nation are part of.
The refusal of Singapore could prove costly, as the nation has emerged as an international financial hub to track money into and out of India.
The development comes at a time when there have been discussions on the propriety of India sharing information from countries such as Switzerland and United States.
The freedom of sleuths tracking economic offences has been crippled as a result of the stiff position adopted by Singapore.
The Singapore Air Operator Certificate holders will be required to strengthen their alcohol abstention policies and implement an Airline Alcohol Management Programme from May to identify, manage and rehabilitate pilots with problematic use of alcohol, the release said.
Pilots found to be operating under the influence of alcohol may be subjected to criminal penalties of up to 50,000 Singapore dollars (about $36,878.5) and/or imprisonment of up to two years for the first offence, and up to 100,000 Singapore dollars and/or imprisonment of up to five years for repeat offenders.
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The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced here on Thursday that it would tighten the regulatory regime on alcohol abstention to mitigate the risk of pilots operating under the influence of liquor.
According to CAAS, the authority will implement the Airport Alcohol Testing Programme (AATP) and start random testing of pilots at Changi and Seletar airports on March 31, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Pilots found to be operating under the influence of alcohol may be subjected to criminal penalties of up to 50,000 Singapore dollars (about $36,878.5) and/or imprisonment of up to two years for the first offence, and up to 100,000 Singapore dollars and/or imprisonment of up to five years for repeat offenders. Pixabay
It will set the alcohol abstinence standard at 0.02 grams per 210 liters of breath for pilots. Those found to exceed the standard would not be permitted to fly, it said.
Pilots found to be operating under the influence of alcohol may be subjected to criminal penalties of up to 50,000 Singapore dollars (about $36,878.5) and/or imprisonment of up to two years for the first offence, and up to 100,000 Singapore dollars and/or imprisonment of up to five years for repeat offenders.
It will set the alcohol abstinence standard at 0.02 grams per 210 liters of breath for pilots. Those found to exceed the standard would not be permitted to fly, it said. Pixabay
The Singapore Air Operator Certificate holders will be required to strengthen their alcohol abstention policies and implement an Airline Alcohol Management Programme from May to identify, manage and rehabilitate pilots with problematic use of alcohol, the release said.
Kevin Shum, Director General of CAAS, said: “The safety of aircraft operations, passengers and crew on board is paramount and the CAAS and the aviation community take a serious view of pilots operating under the influence of alcohol.”
“The new alcohol testing and management programmes will help ensure that pilots’ ability to operate aircraft is not impaired by alcohol,” he said. (IANS)
