Motion passed to probe human trafficking

By Svetlana Marshall –

The opposition on Wednesday night passed a motion calling on President Donald Ramotar to establish a commission of inquiry to probe the incidence of human trafficking in Guyana. Government did not support the motion, which was moved by Opposition Leader David Granger.
“This motion is a motion about humanity, it’s a motion about the type of society we want to live in, it’s a motion about our children and it’s a motion about the future of our country,” the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) chairman said in his opening remarks as he sought to win the House’s approval.

Trafficking in persons must not be dealt with lightly, Granger lamented, noting, that it is a crime and can be classified as modern-day slavery. Those suffering at the hands of traffickers, the opposition leader pointed out, are young persons, in particular females.
“It is also a crime against our children; it is a crime against the most important section of our society, that is our women, the persons who become our mothers, and it is a crime which will shake the structure of our family if left unchecked.”
Although human trafficking is tagged as a crime around the world, unfortunately, Guyana is faced with a denial syndrome, he said.
“There are some persons who like to say there is no problem; in fact, at one time members on the government side actually rejected the reports of the United States Department… but it doesn’t mean there is no trafficking, because we denied it.”
Granger said the home affairs, human services, Amerindian affairs and natural resources ministries must step up to the challenge and  aid in putting an end to this brutal act of modern-day slavery.
“Today we must congratulate the non-governmental organisation, the women miners’ organisation for doing what the Ministry of Home Affairs didn’t do, for doing what the Ministry of Human Services didn’t do, for doing what the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs didn’t do, going into the camps… and rescuing girls from enforced slavery,” he noted.
He said there should be no attacking of the messenger, but rather the attacking of the crime. He said, through the commission, the laws can be enforced effectively to give the desired results and simultaneously put systems in place to ensure that victims do not suffer in the end as. “We can put an end to this atrocity”.
AFC supports
Alliance For Change Member Cathy Hughes gave APNU her party’s support in the coalition’s quest for the implementation of a commission of inquiry.
“Today, none of us can deny the perceived increase in incidence in Guyana that we appear to be facing; we read it in the newspaper now often, and definitely more and more cases are coming to light in our society.”
She said it is against that backdrop that the AFC believes that the entire House should lend its support to the motion.
“We acknowledge that the ministry and the government have a comprehensive programme in place… and it is important that nongovernmental organisations, like the women’s organisation, are working together and stepping up to the challenge, we commend them all.”
However, she lamented the need for greater action saying “Trafficking in persons has a clear social dimension, we cannot fail to recognise that poverty makes many vulnerable and with joblessness, trafficking in persons becomes an avenue for the recruitment, especially of the young.”
Programmes to tackle
Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster, while admitting that trafficking in persons is an issue of concern in the country, said her ministry has instituted a number of programmes to tackle the issue, hence the commission is irrelevant.
“We all know trafficking in persons is a serious crime and imposes a threat to human dignity, rights, and development…our government, over the past years, has undertaken a number of initiatives in a sustained way in the fight to combat trafficking in persons,” she noted.
The human services minister recalled that in April 2005, then President Bharrat Jagdeo assented to the Combating in Trafficking in Persons Act. She said the act was designed to establish an overarching framework for the strengthening of the national mechanism to address this issue.
“It provided an interagency protocol, which sought to identify a number of agencies, which could be involved and it sought to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to investigate, to prosecute, and to convict traffickers,” she stated in her presentation to the National Assembly.
Minister Webster further noted that Guyana is a signatory to the United Nations convention against transnational and organised crimes, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly.
“It is known that trafficking in persons is one of the most serious transnational crimes committed…  as a consequence, the government of Guyana is constrained to devise preventative programmes to support our victims, punish perpetrators, as well as empower our citizens throughout our country through social prevention programmes.”
Debunking claims by the opposition leader, Minister Webster said the ministerial task force, which was set up in February 2007, establishes programmes aimed at tackling human trafficking and providing a safe haven for victims. It is headed by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and comprises representatives from the Human Services Ministry, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, Food For The Poor, Help and Shelter, and most recently the Natural Resources Ministry.
Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said the PPP/C administration has taken a series of initiatives to prioritise its treatment of this matter, noting that the National Assembly, for the first time in the country’s history, passed legislation to outlaw trafficking in persons. Additionally, he pointed to the establishment of a Task Force which has the mandate to tackle the issue.
“This administration’s position on the matter is beyond any dispute, our position is very clear, trafficking in persons is wrong and we condemn it in every form or fashion.”
Minister Rohee said the task force has been actively pursuing its objective, noting that reports have been released on the work of the unit annually since its establishment.
“The problem that we have is that the information on the Task Force has not been widely disseminated, and in addition to that even when they are sent to the media, the media determines what sections of the report it will have reflected.”