We will commit the resources to stop this scourge – Min. Ramjattan on ending TIP
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan has assured that the government will make all commitments, provide the necessary resources to the local anti-trafficking in persons organisation and work with international partners to bring an end to the scourge of human trafficking.
The minister made the declaration today at the opening of a two-day training in Trafficking in Persons for the Corps of Wardens attached to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
In addition, the minister noted that “a number of those persons, who have been brought into Guyana to do sexual activities for a living, have been literally trafficked here because their lives and livelihoods where they come from is terrible and all manner of indecencies and indecent acts they have to perform.”
He further added, “some persons are involved in the trafficking for various reasons. Some do it for body parts, which is the worse extreme; some do it for cheap labour and some for sexual exploitation but it is still slavery and it is still repugnant and appalling! We don’t want that to happen to our mothers and sisters, so we must not allow it to happen to other people’s children.”
Minister Ramjattan urged the participants to never compromise on the principles of law even if the perpetrators are their relatives and friends. He underscored the importance of maintaining the Tier One status recently achieved.
Meanwhile, Ministerial Task Force member, Neil Bacchus who represents the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission said the training course is expected to equip local stakeholders with information regarding the nature of the crime of TIP, functions of the task force, services available locally, how to identify assist and refer victims and best practices for detecting TIP, to create a network for exchange of information among frontline officers and other stakeholders in different regions of Guyana garner information to make the task force more effective in its operation.
The Corps of Wardens is a law enforcement unit tasked with the monitoring and the enforcement of order in the mining industry. Some 45 wardens were certified last year as Supernumerary Constables.
The two-day training in Trafficking in Persons for the Corps of Wardens attached to the Ministry of Natural Resources follows earlier training for wardens and other stakeholders by the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in persons chaired by Minister Ramjattan.
By: Kidackie Amsterdam
Images: Tejpaul Bridgemohan