Intelligence gathering could help combat human trafficking – Human Services Minister

Sep 06, 2013 News

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More emphasis needs to be placed on intelligence gathering on the ground to effectively combat Trafficking In Persons (TIP) since traffickers use innovative methods to lure their victims, says Jennifer Webster, Minister of Human Services and Social Security.
She was at the time addressing participants, including Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, members of the diplomatic community and representatives of Government agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations, at the opening session of a three-day Training of Trainers Workshop, on Wednesday, at the International Conference Centre, Pattensen, East Coast Demerara.
According to Webster, participants must see themselves as the “ears and eyes on the ground” as combined efforts are made to prevent persons in communities are not lured by traffickers. She said TIP is committed especially to women and children and is a threat to

human rights, dignity and development.
Webster said Government would spear no effort in ensuring that reports of TIP are investigated and the perpetrators are brought to justice. She asserted that for 2013 there have been six reports of human trafficking with three convictions.
According to the Minister, the Ministry intends to erect a shelter specifically to house TIP victims, thus providing accommodation for victims and their families. The victims would be exposed to life skills training opportunities to empower them and help improve their quality of lives.
This development was being requested several years ago, but the authorities then had always maintained that there were not sufficient cases of human trafficking that required the erection of a shelter specifically for TIP victims.
However, since the Guyana Women Miners’ Organization began operations in 2012 the organization has rescued several women and children from the ‘flesh trade’ in Guyana’s “gold bush”. The organization had been very vocal about poor treatment of victims and signaled their own intentions of building a shelter.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who delivered the feature address, shared Government’s methodology of quiet, patient, consistent and persistent work on the ground to successfully fight TIP. He emphasized that the issuance of numerous press statements, interviews or shouting from the rooftops, do not help to successfully fight TIP.
He said Government’s tactic allows more efficiency in tackling TIP and maintains the privacy of victims, who should be protected at all cost. He added that victims should not be given the type of exposure they are currently given in the media.
“Who we should name and shame, are the traffickers…but please, not the victims or suspected victims or the alleged victims…The traffickers are the ones we need to target and bring to justice. And, that is the way Government had been going about its business insofar as TIP is concerned and trying to identify where it exists… who is involved in rings or not, and who are the victims,” he said.
According to the Minister, sometimes it is appears that Government is in competition with some Non-Governmental Organizations, but that is not the case. He said Government is willing to work with anyone prepared to achieve the objective of rooting out TIP.
Rohee related that the participation of the international donor community at the workshop is a manifestation of Government’s desire to partner with the international community to fight this transnational crime.
“You mean to say we can unite at the international level and disunite at the national level…I don’t think this is good for our country”, he stated.
The Guyana Women Miners’ Organization (GWMO), a Non-Government Organization, has been at the forefront rescuing women and children from sexual slavery in interior. The GWMO was recognized by representatives of US Embassy Georgetown and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for their efforts in combating TIP.
Khadija Musa, UNDP Resident Representative, said the GWMO has been doing an exceptional job in recognizing TIP victims in mining areas. As such, the UNDP supports the organization and is committed completely to work on this issue.
According to Human Services Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Patrick Findlay, as part of the Ministry’s support to organizations like Help and Shelter that assist with fighting TIP, it would be presenting a small grant to GWMO. He said that this would help them in their outreaches. Other organizations would also benefit from grants donated by the UNDP to assist in this fight at the conclusion of the workshop today.

 

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