Human trafficking high on the radar with the refugees’ influx at borders

Apr 14, 2019 News

There is worry about human trafficking with an influx of refugees from Venezuela.

While Guyana makes provisions for the steady influx of Venezuelans at the border the issue of human trafficking continues to engage the attention of the authorities.
Since last year, a few businesses were raided and owners arrested and charged for the offence. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been mandated to provide technical assistance to the Caribbean with a protocol that establishes clear lines of action–
to prevent and combat trafficking in persons; to protect and assist victims of human trafficking respecting their human rights at all times.
Many of the victims found locally have been forced into prostitution and hard labour with unfair pay according to the authorities.
Night Clubs and bars are often full of mostly sex workers paying lodging through their proceeds.
The young ladies mostly from Venezuela and Santa Domingo are often undocumented immigrants.
Only last year the Ministry of Social Protection – Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Department – was engaging in numerous activities to raise awareness on the issues of Human Trafficking.
There was a proactive approach to avoid continued occurrences of this crime of modern slavery. Some 77 victims were rescued last year and there is concern that with the high incidence of arriving Venezuelans so far the numbers might double this year.
Within its mandate, UN Office on Drugs and Crime for Central America and the Caribbean seeks to strengthen the existing mechanisms of border control. The focus of the project on human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants is to strengthen international cooperation and coordination for the exchange of accurate and up-to-date information and the facilitation of mutual legal assistance for preventing and combating the problem.