Dear Editor,
I applaud the recent successful work of the law officers, who were able to report that a total of 44 female foreign nationals were rescued following a trafficking in persons’ (TIP) operation at a popular nightclub along Robb Street, Georgetown.
The news elaborated, “The women were reportedly taken into protective care, and an investigation has been launched into the alleged acts of TIP and other forms of exploitation and abuse.”
This is super, and I am very pleased that Guyana has not let up in this kind of security work. It is most vital, and hopefully, concomitant with the rescue, we will all hear about the prosecution of those complicit and guilty regarding this TIP horror.
I need to remind people that “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2023” has the theme “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind”. This means that discrimination, nationally or otherwise, must not be tolerated. So, I am quite elated that our authorities were relentless in rescuing these 44 ‘female foreign’ nationals. It is a testimony to professionalism and hard work.
Editor, I also remind people that, according to the United Nations (and common sense actually), “Displacement and socio-economic inequalities are impacting millions of people worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers. Those who lack legal status, live in poverty, have limited access to education, healthcare, or decent work, face discrimination, violence, or abuse, or come from marginalized communities are often the primary targets of traffickers.”
For example, in recent times, and still ongoing, many Venezuelans came to our country, and from a national standpoint, Guyana fared well, and is still doing so in terms of ensuring these ‘refugees’ and ‘escapees’ are protected.
And yet another reminder is that, worldwide, national responses – particularly in developing states – appear to be deteriorating. In fact, detection rates fell by 11% in 2020, and convictions plummeted by 27%, thus illustrating a worldwide slowdown in the criminal justice response to trafficking.
What is also of concern is that around 41% of the victims who managed to escape their ordeal and then reached out to the authorities did so on their own initiative. This is a blow to what is deemed the ‘fight against TIP’, and is another clear sign that anti-trafficking responses are falling short.
Getting back to the recent bust in Guyana, it is that based on intelligence received, the Home Affairs Ministry, the TIP Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force, and the Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s Countering-TIP Unit all rallied jointly to ‘pull it off.’ No wonder, then, that Guyana was given a Tier 1 ranking in the latest TIP report (Tier 1 equates with being fully compliant with the minimum standards for elimination of severe forms of trafficking in persons).
For sure, we are not where we can be, and even though, according to that latest UN report, the “Guyana Government met the minimum standards”, it could have done more, and I feel certain that the slack will be taken up. In fact, prior to the release of the 2023 report, the Government had taken an aggressive approach towards ending the scourge of human trafficking with the passing of the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill 2023 in the National Assembly. This Bill received extensive work from local and international bodies, as well as wide consultations.
What we need to do, as worthy citizens, and without fear of being known, is to act if we suspect someone is being trafficked. We can utilise social media, call, or email etc. In this era, ‘spreading news’ is most easy, and no trafficker likes publicity.
Yours truly,
HB Singh
