The Ministry of Social Protection yesterday welcomed the latest classification on Trafficking in Persons (TIP), which has seen the country coming off the watch list for TIP, that is, moving from Tier 2 on the Watch List to just Tier Two.
The new status was revealed in the US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report 2016 made public yesterday. Guyana was placed on the Tier Two Watch List three years ago and has since mounted numerous efforts to improve its rating.
The 2016 Report noted that the Government of Guyana does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The report attributed this improvement in status to the country being able to convict a trafficker, on whom a three-year prison sentence was imposed, the ministry said.
Welcoming the improved status, Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence said TIP is “slavery as part of economic ventures and this Government, through its various arms, will fight vigorously such attempts and will join forces with like-minded persons, organisations and governments to stop vulnerable persons from falling into the hands of such perpetrators”.