There will be more forceful implementation of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) legislation in the country, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan has said.
The minister made the remarks following a TIP awareness walk on Saturday, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported. GINA said Ramjattan stressed that more emphasis will be placed on the implementation of TIP legislation in the country.
He noted that many times people are afraid to speak out, “they sometimes are afraid, or feel that the police will not do their job, this will change,” he was quoted as saying.
GINA reported that the Minister further added that while citizens have a role to play, it is important to note that dysfunctional families also contribute to TIP. He pointed out that some families who are financially unstable contribute to this by saying “go out and bring some money,” a statement which often lands their children in the hands of cruel people, GINA reported.
Ramjattan, who also heads the TIP Ministerial Task Force, pleaded with the Community Policing Groups (CPGs), which represented the largest portion of the gathering at Saturday’s event, to continue to look for such victims and to educate their community members about this hideous crime, GINA said.
It reported that the TIP task force is expected to release a TIP action plan within the next month.
Meantime, Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence and Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes also participated in the awareness walk from the Promenade Gardens to D’ Urban Park, Homestretch Avenue.
The walk dubbed “I give hope,” is part of an intensive public awareness campaign to inform people about TIP with the aim of ridding this scourge from society and to help Guyana improve its listing on the US State Department TIP annual report, GINA reported. Saturday was also designated World TIP Day 2016.
United States ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway participated in the event and observed that Guyana has recently been taken off the US State Department TIP watch list. Holloway lauded the country’s efforts to end TIP and pledged the support of the US government in this regard.
The Ambassador said the US is ready to work with Guyana on “developing an action plan to assist the NGOs (Non-governmental Organisations) that support victims,” GINA reported.
Meantime, Lawrence emphasised government’s quest to stamp out TIP while Broomes shared “a very touching story” of a 13- year old victim, GINA said.
