| – as Home Affairs Ministry touts ‘vibrant’ Task ForceAs A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) expressed its distress over a recent heinous case of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) involving underage girls, the youngest being 14, in the gold mining area of Cuyuni-Mazaruni, the Ministry of Home Affairs has retaliated with claims of a vibrant Ministerial Task Force on TIP. The Home Affairs Ministry has also sought to dub APNU’s comments on the matter as being politically charged.According to APNU,Nicolas Batum Hornets Swingman Jersey, in a statement,John Stockton USA Jersey, in many parts of the country both women and girls are lured with the offer of well-paying jobs and are subsequently exploited and controlled through threats, withholding of pay or insufficient pay, and physical violence. It was highlighted that in some areas, traffickers are known to promise rural women and girls jobs as domestic servants, then lure them into working in shops and homes for little or no pay, or ‘sell them’ in brothels.“Many of the victims are Amerindian teenagers targeted by Traffickers because of poor education and job prospects in their regions…APNU notes with great concern that trafficking in persons especially that of under-aged girls,Authentic Isaiah Thomas Celtics Jersey, is a grave human rights violation that continues to fester, especially with the increase of gold mining activities in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni and Potaro-Siparuni Regions,” the party said.Moreover, APNU said that it is calling on the Ministry of Human Services, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Guyana Police Force and all other relevant government agencies to urgently develop a coordinated plan and implementation programme. This programme, it was noted, must be well supported with the needed resources,Marcus Morris Pistons Swingman Jersey, to rescue and protect the victims of people trafficking, especially minors who are subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse.As such it is the view of Leader of the Opposition, David Granger,Anthony Davis USA Jersey, that “the time has come for the establishment of Safe Houses and Halfway-facilities in centres such as Bartica to provide shelter and a safe place for the often hapless victims of this international crime.”Dubbing the publicized case of TIPS, which saw officials from the Women Miners Organisation intervening, as a mere allegation, the Home Affairs Ministry in a statement lashed out at Granger, who sought to raise the matter in the National Assembly on Monday.The Ministry in its own defence sought to condemn Granger for failing to mention the role played by the Ministry,Authentic Tobias Harris Pistons Jersey, as the Agency responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Ministerial Task Force on TIP, which was established by Cabinet with the view of addressing reports on Trafficking in Persons. There was, however, no mention whether the Task Force has commenced investigation into the recent case.Efforts were nevertheless made to highlight that “this studious avoidance of any mention of the Ministry of Home Affairs is in keeping with Mr. Granger’s stated policy to ignore the role and place of the Ministry of Home Affairs in addressing Public Safety and Security matters. This came as no surprise, notwithstanding its inconsistency with the reality on the ground.”The statement went on to highlight that the Task Force meets on a monthly basis and has had frequent engagements with Non-Governmental Organisations, along with representatives of the diplomatic community. It was disclosed too that the body has established fruitful international connections with sister organizations in Suriname and Brazil as well as Member States of CARICOM,Tristan Thompson Cavaliers Jersey, publishes an Annual Report, has a Work Programme and an established protocol to address reports on TIP.In insisting that Granger ignored these “positive developments” the statement added that the opposition leader instead “chose once again to target the Guyana Police Force (GPF). In so doing, Mr. Granger made remarks to the effect that: ‘Police Stations are not a safe place for victims. There are lots of male policemen at these Stations’.”The assertion by Granger, it was noted, is one that suggests that Police Stations are unsafe for victims allegedly trafficked while they were awaiting either alternative accommodation or to be transported under escort by the competent Government officials to Georgetown to be placed in the custody of family or relatives.“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to emphasize that whenever young girls deemed trafficked victims are brought to any interior Police Stations, such victims are placed under the watchful eyes of the female ranks at the Police Stations and not the male ranks,Harrison Barnes USA Jersey,” the statement outlined.The Ministry said that there are female ranks at almost every Police Station or Outpost on the Coast or the interior of the country, adding that the practice is that victims allegedly trafficked are rarely kept beyond 24 hours at any Police Station.It was also stated that in instances where young girls are allegedly victims of trafficking, alternative temporary accommodation to Police Stations would be found at Hotels, the residences of TIP Focal Points, Hospitals or Hostels, arrangements the Home Affairs Ministry claims have worked successfully over the years.As such it was emphasized that the Home Affairs Ministry “denounces Mr Granger’s effort to besmirch the efforts of the Ministry of Home Affairs,Al Horford Celtics Swingman Jersey, the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons and the Guyana Police Force, and ignoring for political reasons the good work being done by the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons.” |
