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Feb 23, 2014 News
Is the Government of Guyana serious about implementing the provisions under the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2005?
This is the question being asked by the Guyana Women Miners’ Organization (GWMO) daily as they are forced to fight with perpetrators as well as the system to help “survivors” of this despicable crime.
With the system being uncooperative and unresponsive to the needs of young girls, who were once sexual slaves in Guyana’s interior locations, the vicious cycle of human trafficking has developed into a festering sore.
This notion was expressed by Simona Broomes, President of GWMO, during a recent interview with this publication.
According to Broomes, since the GWMO began operations over two years ago, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Trafficking Unit has behaved as if Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is the GWMO’s problem.
She emphasized that the Unit has been very reluctant to implement the law, claiming that the way forward is determined by those in authority.
The GWMO, she said, finds this ridiculous since the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2005 should govern the operations of those who have to assign the Unit. And, therefore the law should be supreme.
Broomes said that the system should be focusing on protection, prevention and prosecution. But there are many instances where these critical functions are flouted because of no attempt by the authorities to prevent women and children from being trafficked.
She recalled that last June, the GWMO rescued a 14-year-old girl from a shop owned by her mother in the 14 Miles area. The Mines Officers in the area said that the mother of the child told them the girl’s age was 17.
Broomes said that the Child Care and Protection Agency was informed of the matter. However, instead of alternative housing being found, the child was placed with her grandmother. The irony of the situation is that the girl’s mother also resides in Georgetown at the said grandmother’s house.
According to Broomes, the GWMO was later informed that the child was engaged in prostitution at a popular bar in Georgetown. The teen and her mother were invited to the GWMO’s office where it was confirmed that the child was engaged in prostitution.
During that meeting the child informed Broomes of a woman who recruited young girls to go and work in the bush. Broomes was hoping that the teenager would not fall prey to the woman. Her hopes were shattered when the teen’s mother called her to say that the girl had gone to Marudi, Region Nine with the woman.
Cognizant that the woman would have to pass police stations at Linden, Mabura, Kurupukari, and Lethem, Broomes informed ranks that the woman would be entering the districts with three underage girls. Broomes was informed that the woman and the teenagers did not travel to Marudi. Broomes and the girl’s mother went to Eve Leary to meet the head of the TIP Unit to give a statement.
Three days later, the mother informed Broomes that the teenager had returned to her. Apparently, the woman who had attempted to traffic the young girls sent them back to Georgetown after being tipped off that the GWMO was involved in the matter.
When Broomes went to visit the teen’s residence the girl was not at home and police ranks had just left. The mother accepted that her daughter needed help from the Child Care and Protection Agency. And the Ministry’s Trafficking Unit was left with the responsibility of the two other teenagers who told police ranks that it was not their first time in the interior. In addition, their families were well aware that they were into prostitution.
Broomes said that she called the Child Care and Protection Agency on Friday only to be informed that the teenagers were being reintegrated with their families.
According to Broomes, this is “the highest level of ignorance” she has heard in a long time. She questioned why the agency would put back the young girls in the same situation they came from. “Apparently because the mothers of the girls denied the allegations the agency took their word against the teens’. If we really wanted to confront this matter we should deal with the parents of these children who are selling their bodies for money. The girls are underage. What is this reintegration thing they are talking about?” she said.
Broomes stressed that the system is quick to get rid of survivors of human trafficking. Because, the system does not protect them or see many prosecutions though many girls are re-trafficked. The Act was assented to in 2005 and since then, no shelter for survivors was constructed. Women and girls rescued are housed temporarily at a Help and Shelter safe house for battered women.
Broomes believes that survivors of human trafficking should not be housed with battered women, but in a home where they are exposed to counseling, and get the opportunity to go to school. On many occasions, the girls are forced to stay with members of the GWMO or return to the treacherous interior.
She said that members of the GWMO who open their doors for the teenagers do not receive the financial support foster parents get from the system. The argument is that the teenagers are not attending school and therefore cannot get that support.
Broomes questioned if it is not the social workers who have to place the girls in the school system. The Act clearly makes provision for this, but again whatever the authority dictates supersedes it.
According to Broomes, prosecution of Trafficking in Persons is “too weak”. Only, the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Chamber seems to be willing to help. She related that letters sent to the DPP inquiring about the statuses of cases are replied to. Had it not been for this mutual respect the GWMO would not be aware of the updates of the cases, Broomes asserted.
She emphasized that to adequately inform the public of what is happening, the GWMO will be providing reports on human trafficking every three months.
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