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GUYANA GETS HIGHEST RANKING IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING
In the latest United States State Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, Guyana has moved up from last year’s Tier 2 ranking to a Tier 1 ranking. This means that the country now fully meets the minimum standards for combating trafficking in person.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, trafficking in persons or human trafficking refers to the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of threat, use of force, payment or other forms of coercion. It is having control over a person without his or her consent for the purpose of exploitation.
Every year, the United States State Department releases its Trafficking in Persons Report in which it ranks foreign governments based on their response to the problem in their countries.
For several years, the U.S. State Department criticized Guyana for not doing enough to combat Trafficking in Persons. The last government repeatedly rejected the U.S. reports. However, this government has recognized that trafficking in persons, including children is rife in Guyana, especially in the mining areas of the country.
It has engaged the Police, the Ministry of Human Services and the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO) to address the problem. The GWMO, which is dedicated to the welfare of women in the mining areas of the country has stated that no one group or government can stamp out Trafficking in Persons on its own. A collective approach is needed.
Notwithstanding the progress made by the government to combat Trafficking in Persons, the report recommended an increase in the number of investigations and prosecutions and that victims must be provided with additional protection to enable them to testify against traffickers in a way that minimizes re-traumatization and threats against them or their families.
While statistics is not available for 2017, the government has successfully identified 98 trafficking victim cases in 2016, of which 80 were for prostitution and 18 for labour trafficking.
The government has also approved the 2017-2018 national plan to combat trafficking in persons; established an anti-trafficking unit, increased the number of prosecutions; and are assisting more victims.
Traffickers target the most desperate and vulnerable women to work as prostitutes in the remote areas of the country where it is difficult for them to escape and where investigations are tough to conduct.
Trafficking in Persons also takes place in the urban centres. As reported, a nightclub owner had been charged for human trafficking of some Brazilian and Venezuelan females who were allegedly held against their will at the business premise of the accused.
In another case, a serving member of the Guyana Police Force was charged with trafficking of a 14-year-old girl who was reportedly taken to Kaituma in the North West for sexual purposes.
Trafficking in Persons is a worldwide phenomenon that is practised in Europe, the United States and other developed countries. The reason the public does not hear of cases in those countries is not indicative of it not happening. It has more to do with secrecy as the people who perpetrate these crimes do it covertly.
Victims are usually kept in confined spaces in those countries and they are warned not to say anything because their family members may be harmed. For this reason, victims of Trafficking in Persons usually do not tell anyone.
But when they are eventually discovered, it is usually found that they were held against their wish for a long period of time. Simply put, trafficking in persons is inhumane and is a violation of the victims’ human rights.
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