Police training to augment skills to fight human trafficking

–Human Services Ministry, Task Force on Trafficking initiative

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Countering-Trafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Unit in collaboration with the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking on Thursday started training for station sergeants to empower them further to identify and respond to human trafficking. 

Minister, Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud, said every day vulnerable men, women and children are trafficked, in her address at the opening session, which was held at the Officers Training Centre, Eve Leary. 

However, the two-day training is another strategy that the Government is employing to augment other national efforts to eliminate this scourge. 

“Trafficking in persons is something that has been going on in the world for a number of years. Our country has not been left out of this, as such it is imperative that we put every mechanism in place so that we can destroy networks and let persons who are involved in carrying out this heinous activity know that we are serious and we mean business,” Dr. Persaud said.

The Minister pointed out that trafficking crosses local frontiers and international borders, often leaving victims suffering lifelong trauma from being exploited. Further, while being subjected to sexual, labour and other forms of exploitation, victims are denied their fundamental human right to freedom.  

Minister Persaud therefore, charged the officers to be mindful of the critical role they play in clamping down on this crime. 

“We are the custodians of these rights in many ways and when we fail or when we act in a manner where people are not assured of their rights, then I think that we need to look at ourselves a little more, very objectively, at times critically to see what we need to do,” she said.

The Station Sergeants were also told to be mindful that trafficking does not only happen behind closed doors and in hinterland areas, but also in plain sight and the urban regions.

One of the main challenges in cracking down on human trafficking cases is the reporting of the crime. Therefore, Commissioner of Police (Ag.) Mr. Nigel Hoppie urged the sergeants to “pursue these matters with alacrity once the necessary elements of the cases are in place because it is known that the victims do get frustrated and lose hope while the matter is ongoing and some even choose to leave the jurisdiction.” 

The Commissioner pointed out that Guyana ratified the United Nations Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons in 2004. In 2005, the country passed the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act. 

Guyana has also had notable successes in curbing this crime. 

“In examining the figures from 2018 to present it shows that a considerable amount of work was done … During this period, 632 suspected victims were contacted by the Trafficking in Persons Unit. Among them were men women and children, they were in situations of potential sex and labour exploitations and other types of exploitation,” the Commissioner said. 

These persons were identified through reports and raids. Some 579 of the suspected victims were foreign nationals from Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela and others. 

“Foreign nationals tell many stories, two easily identifiable examples presented here are: one, it shows that Guyana has a pull factor, that is, there are attractive reasons to travel to Guyana. Secondly, it also tells us that those who found themselves in situations of exploitation are diverse in nationality and the demographic characteristics,” Mr. Hoppie said. 

Of the total figure, 84 reports were accepted with 58 cases made. This has resulted in six convictions so far. Other cases are still before the court.

The penalty for human trafficking in Guyana ranges from three years to life imprisonment, along with the forfeiture of property for offenders and full restitution of victims.

The topics the training will cover over the next two days include investigative techniques, responding to reports of child abuse and police response, responding to juvenile offenders, drug and substance abuse and emotional health and wellbeing. 

Guyana established the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in 2007 to facilitate the planning, implementation and monitoring of national strategies to combat the crime.