Task Force presents first Trafficking in Persons report

Task Force presents first Trafficking in Persons report
December 3, 2008 | By knews | Filed Under News
http://www.kaieteurnews.com/?p=16784

The National Inter-Agency Task Force for Combating Trafficking in Persons presented its first National Report on Monday in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The National Inter-Agency Task Force for Combating Trafficking in Persons was established by President Bharrat Jagdeo at a Cabinet meeting on February 6, 2007.
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee was appointed Chairman of the Task Force which comprised the Ministry of Legal Affairs; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security; Food for the Poor; and Help and Shelter.
Since its inception, the Task Force has held 17 meetings.
The main objectives of the Task Force are to carry out effective public education and other measures to prevent trafficking in persons and to ensure focused attention in dealing with offences of Trafficking in Persons.
Minister Rohee said, “The report highlights Government’s achievements in responding to Trafficking in Persons.”
He asserted that the compilation of this report “is a revelation of the strengthening capacity within Government ministries and agencies to document their own achievements and not leave it for others to do.”
Minister Rohee explained that the report on Trafficking in Persons was born out of a desire to present to citizens a factual and authentic picture of the nature and magnitude of the issue in Guyana and a truthful documentation of Government’s response to this phenomenon.”
The Minister contended that too often there are external agencies of the donor community compiling reports on various phenomena in the country as if Guyanese do not have the capacity and objectivity to compile such reports on their own.
He said that the decision to develop its own report was based on recognition that there were gaps and inadequacies in external reports on this phenomenon in Guyana. Thus the Task Force set out to develop its own factual and well researched report.
In his address, the Minister unequivocally affirmed that the Report indicates in no uncertain terms that Trafficking in Persons is not a major problem in Guyana.
Minister Rohee further contends that the assessment and Tier Placement by the US does not duly recognize the efforts of Government and civil society in responding to the phenomenon of Trafficking in Persons locally.
The report is not a one off venture but one that will be an annual occurrence, he said.