The problem with human trafficking

Jun 18, 2015 Editorial, Features / Columnists

As a people, Guyanese have not apparently come to grips with that ugly aspect of one of the worst crimes in human existence — human trafficking. According to Guyana’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Act of 2005, human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or the giving or receiving of payment or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation, sexual or otherwise.
Despite the fact that the TIP Act of 2005 prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes sufficiently stringent penalties, ranging from three years to life imprisonment, the former PPP government made no discernible progress to prosecute, convict and sentence of human trafficking offenders in Guyana.
The previous government only charged four offenders but failed to convict anyone. Progress on the prosecution of criminal cases is perpetually delayed by judicial backlogs, incorrectly filed paperwork or the failure of key parties to appear at hearings. True or not, it has been reported that defendants often bribe court officials for favorable rulings.
While trafficking in persons is common in Guyana, most of the people seem almost oblivious to its existence, since it does not appear to threaten them in any direct way. TIP is not only a problem in Guyana and while there are no statistics for TIP in Guyana, the reality is that human trafficking is a global phenomenon that enslaves over 30 million women, men and children every year in a cycle of exploitation.
It is an affront to individual human rights and jeopardizes the security of communities. During the past ten years, the PPP administration did not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons in Guyana. It did not initiate any new prosecutions of trafficking offenses during the reporting period and has yet to convict or punish any trafficking offenders under its five-year-old anti-human trafficking law.
As a result, in 2013, the US State Department has for the second time placed Guyana on the Tier Two (T2) watch list for trafficking in persons.
Guyanese should be very thankful to the Junior Minister of Labour and Social Protection, Ms. Simona Broomes, who on June 7, last, rescued 39 victims—all young women from the Bartica region. They were between 20 and 30 years. There were 13 arrests.
Guyana is no longer on the fringes with respect to human trafficking, rather it is a source country While arresting human traffickers is important, it is imperative for the Granger-led Coalition government to protect them, especially children by placing them in a safe environment, providing them with social services, healthcare, education, psychological support and reintegrate them with their families and communities, but only if it is proven to be in their best interest.
Groups particularly vulnerable to human trafficking in Guyana include Amerindian females, marginalized groups, runaways and poor children from the rural families. Guyanese cannot turn a blind eye to the scourge of human trafficking. While there are legislation in place to provide the legal framework for action, there must also be a clear and strong condemnation of this sinful practice by all citizens.
The fight against human trafficking should not be the government’s fight but the fight for all. These are at-risk children who live in the communities and attend schools. It is estimated that worldwide, human trafficking generates more than US$36 billion each year, making it one of the largest illegal enterprises in the world.
Those who tried to deny the existence of this scourge on the nation are not only in denial but they also do not have a leg to stand on. It is a fact that human trafficking exists in Guyana. It is very prevalent and must be addressed and dealt with by the government. But no one group or the government on its own cannot stamp out human trafficking. It must be a collective approach.

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The problem with human trafficking

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