Police, state entities must collaborate to combat TIP in Matthew’s Ridge

Aug 07, 2017 News

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– Guyana Women Miners Organisation

The police, the Ministry of Social Protection and the Ministry of Communities need to collaborate to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in Matthew’s Ridge, located in Region One (Barima-Waini.)
This was the conclusion that the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) came to after a sensitization meeting last weekend in the community.
The meeting was organised by GWMO and sponsored by the Australian Government through the Direct Aid Program.
Delivering initial remarks on behalf of the GWMO was its President, Urica Primus. She said that there are three forms of trafficking in persons that are recognised in local laws. Primus explained that internationally, the removal of organs and the sale of children are included as additional forms of TIP.
“For our law that is currently being reviewed, it speaks specifically to forced prostitution, there is also forced labour because…what happens with families in rural communities and a lot of these settlements, is that they (traffickers) go in and they offer them (adults and children) jobs in the city and when they get there they don’t pay them. So you have to work because you don’t know how to get back home. You aren’t being paid, can’t contact your family, and can’t leave; so outside of prostitution there is also forced labour and debt bondage.”
Primus said that debt bondage occurs a lot in the mining communities as well as in the agricultural communities. “They take you in to work and every time you want to go, they keep showing you how much you owe them and how many things they had to pay for you. Your bill keeps going up and the money that you have can never cover it.”
Speaking to residents, Primus and other GWMO representatives sought to find out whether similar situations could be pointed out in the community. The group of residents appeared to not have such knowledge. However, they were informed that there were victims of TIP that came from the area.

The GWMO President said that past incidents have revealed that members of communities being targeted by traffickers usually don’t know that persons in the area are being trafficked and then re-integrated. As such, these communities do not plan to deal with the issue because they aren’t aware that there is a problem.
She informed the residents that one of the important issues that needs to be looked into is that some persons are being trafficked from right within their homes by parents and relatives. Primus indicated that there were recent cases in Port Kaituma and Baramita whereby men were being allowed into homes to pay to have sexual exchanges with underage girls.
“In one case, you have girls being given to men and their parents are collecting money. So while it sounds like something that is far-fetched, it is something that is happening right within your community.”
As the discussion flowed, it was revealed that some parents are not cooperating with the police. This means that girls who are being exploited cannot get to Georgetown for the relevant authorities to do their job.
It appears as though it is the way of life for some people to have young girls sexually involved with older men. It was made clear that support is needed from the community level in order to assist the police to tackle the situation.
Further, it was revealed that there is a Probation Officer that visits the community periodically but would only have talks with the children involved and their parents. There are hardly any follow-up discussions on the matter after the initial talk.
Some residents expressed the view that the Probation Officer for Matthew’s Ridge is inactive because no amount of time is spent in the community. Based on comments given, the police have to perform the functions of the Probation Officer. It was recommended that the Probation Officer should be made to visit the community regularly. Upon arrival, he should make his presence known to the police and the Community Development Council (CDC) so that adequate and effective work can be done.
Further, the issue of illicit drugs being used by children and youths was brought up. There was one case whereby school boys and girls were found to be in possession of ganja and alcohol. Even on this occasion some parents were not supportive to address the problem.
Residents were urged to speak out against any wrong-doing so that the many social ills including sexual abuse and TIP can be better handled.
It was acknowledged that there was a lack of coordination between the Probation services provided by the Social Protection Ministry, the ranks attached to the Matthew’s Ridge Police Station, residents, and the CDC that is an arm of the Ministry of Communities.
It was recommended that this issue needs to be fixed so as to solve the many problems.

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