Businessman gets 3 years for trafficking Venezuelans

…ordered to pay victims $2.1M in restitution

Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty earlier this week sentenced 64-year-old Feezal Shaw to three years in prison for trafficking Venezuelan nationals for labour exploitation. As part of his sentence, Shaw must pay $2,127,000 in restitution to the victims.
Shaw, a businessman involved in the wildlife trade, was found guilty of the offence on February 3, following a trial at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Charged over three years ago with trafficking in persons, Shaw, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), has been convicted of recruiting, transporting, and harbouring two male Venezuelans for the purpose of exploiting them. This crime was committed between February 14 and June 14, 2018.

The prosecution had submitted that apart from holding the victims against their will, Shaw had also threatened that if they did not comply with his wishes, he would report their illegal presence in Guyana to the Police, and have them arrested, charged and deported.
The Prosecution’s case is that the Venezuelan nationals arrived in Guyana on February 14, 2018 via Port Charity. On February 15, 2018, they were taken to a house at Timehri to build exotic cages at $10,000 per cage. After three weeks, Shaw reportedly paid them some money, but took away their passports, although he had promised to assist them to obtain work permits.
At his first court appearance in September 2018, Shaw was remanded to prison after the prosecutor had highlighted the serious nature of the charge levelled against him.

He was eventually released on $100,000 bail, pending the hearing and determination of his trial.
According to a statement from the Human Services and Social Security Ministry, the restitution request was presented by a senior officer attached to that Ministry’s Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit, which continues to support survivors of this egregious act.
The Ministry said it has been closely following this case since 2018, appearing at every hearing and supporting the survivors. The convicted businessman, the Ministry noted, brought the victims from another country and forced them to work in what is called a ‘local zoo.’
The conditions in which the survivours were forced to work can only be described as inhumane, and they were subjected to substandard living conditions, the statement added.
Reacting to Shaw’s conviction, Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud said, “The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit has been actively working to ensure persons who engage in trafficking in persons face the full force of the law, and we are satisfied that there is not only a conviction, but restitution has been awarded to the victim. The Ministry is serious when it comes to human trafficking.
“We have also been doing a lot of countrywide and specialized sensitization to heighten awareness to encourage reporting and advise persons of the support to survivors that we offer. I hope many more perpetrators face the full force of the law in the future…as conviction and restitution are steps in the direction we want.
“The restitution is a significant step in the right direction, and I believe it will definitely let the person affected understand that justice is served; and I am pleased to know justice was served in this case.”
Head of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit, Tanisha Williams-Corbin, has said the Unit is committed to its cause, which includes advocating and ensuring victims of human trafficking get the necessary justice they deserve.
“We are satisfied the perpetrator was brought to justice, and also elated that the survivors will be compensated,” she declared.
Government’s commitment to preventing human trafficking has been demonstrated in the implementation of several policies and collaborations with various stakeholders, including the Guyana Police Force (GPF); Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); Maritime and Airport security officials; medical professionals; and Education, Welfare, and Guidance officers. Guyana has maintained its Tier One status in the US Department of State 2022 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. According to the report, “The Government of Guyana fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.
The Government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore, Guyana remained on Tier 1.”
The Human Services and Social Security Ministry continues to encourage people to report all suspicious activities on hotline numbers (592) 227-4083 or (592) 623-5030. Spanish-speaking persons can contact (592) 624-0079.