INTERPOL Training of Guyanese Officials in Trafficking in Persons
Ministry of Public Security, Guyana, October 26, 2016
Officers from the Guyana Police Force have recently benefitted from Training in Combating Trafficking in Persons provided by INTERPOL.
INTERPOL is currently in the Training Phase of its Project to combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling in the Caribbean. A number of Caribbean governments have joined with INTERPOL with the aim of improving the Caribbean’s institutional capacity to combat trafficking in persons.
Participants from the Guyana Police Force’s Immigration and Criminal Investigations Departments in the INTERPOL Trafficking in Persons ‘Victim Identification, Referral and Assistance Training’ held in Trinidad and Tobago
In April, 2016, the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons welcomed INTERPOL to Guyana for a Trafficking in Persons Needs Assessment. This Needs Assessment, along with corresponding activities conducted in other Caribbean countries, has given rise to a series of Training Courses for Officers who work in combating trafficking in persons in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean.
From September 5-9, 2016, Superintendent E. Wray and Inspector P. Harris of the Guyana Police Force’s Immigration Department and W/Sergeant 19981 Castello, Corporal 19822 Pitama and W/Constable 21232 McBean of the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department, Major Crimes Unit attended a ‘Victim Identification, Referral and Assistance Training’, with regard to trafficking in persons, in Trinidad and Tobago.
This Training Course targeted law enforcement agencies who worked with victims of trafficking in persons in their daily operations. Trainers sought to equip participating Officers with enhanced skills in effectively detecting potential victims and responding to cases of trafficking in persons.
Additionally, from September 12-15, 2016, Assistant Superintendent V. Hunte, W/Inspector A. Solomon and Corporal 18351 D. Jones – Prosecutors with the Guyana Police Force – attended a Training Course entitled ‘Human Trafficking Training for Legal Authorities’, also in Trinidad and Tobago.
This Training Course targeted judicial authorities engaged in the prosecution of human trafficking cases with the aim of facilitating an increase in the capacity to successfully prosecute these types of cases in the Caribbean.
These Courses would be followed by two more Regional Workshops, namely, ‘Investigative Skills Training for Human Trafficking Investigations’, Parts I and II in October and November, 2016, respectively.
Stemming from the aforementioned ‘Victim Identification, Referral and Assistance Training’, the Commissioner of Police (ag), Mr. David Ramnarine, DSM organized a local two (2) day Training Course for thirteen (13) Officers from the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department, Major Crimes Unit which was held on September 26 and 27, 2016 at the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Training Centre, Camp and Young Streets.
Presentations at this Training Course were delivered by the Officers who benefitted from INTERPOL Training along with representatives of
Presenters and Participants in the Trafficking in Persons Training Course for Investigators from the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department, Major Crimes Unit
the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons, including non-governmental organizations.
Information shared at the Training Course included presentations on Victim Identification, Referral and Assistance as learnt through INTERPOL Training; A Background and Overview of the Local Trafficking in Persons Task Force; Victim Assistance Provided Locally and Legal Provisions in this regard; Prosecution of Trafficking in Persons in Guyana; and the role of NGOs in Combating Trafficking in Persons in Guyana.
The Task Force intends to ensure that information gained through the Training Workshops extended by INTERPOL is further distributed among Agencies with responsibility for combating trafficking in persons in Guyana through Training Courses and other means.
The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons remains committed to leading and supporting efforts to enhance the capacity of Officers and other individuals tasked with spreading awareness on the dangers associated with human trafficking; responding to cases of trafficking in persons on the frontline; and contributing to the prosecution of trafficking in persons cases, thus enabling them to perform their duties with the highest level of competence.
The Task Force also looks forward to continued collaboration with International Organizations such as INTERPOL in its aim to effectively combat trafficking in persons in Guyan, and wishes to extend its gratitude to INTERPOL for the assistance which it has rendered to date and has continued to extend in this regard.