Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons
November 28th, 2022
Ministry of Home Affairs and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) collaborate to deliver Trafficking in Persons Training and Sensitization in Region Nine
A ten (10) member Team from the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons featuring representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ministry of Human Services and Social Security- Counter Trafficking in Persons Unit, Guyana Police Force- Trafficking in Persons Unit and Customs Anti- Narcotic Unit (CANU) visited several villages and schools in Region 9 ( Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo ) from November 9th -13th, 2022 to conduct awareness and training on the issues of trafficking in persons, sexual offences and drug use.
Initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, through funding from a Technical Assistance Agreement to combat Trafficking in Persons in Guyana by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), members of the Taskforce spread awareness on the issue of human trafficking and distribute paraphernalia, brochures and posters to residents from the villages of Woweta, Kwatamang, Toka, Mabura, Aranaputa, Nappi, Mocomoco, Haiowa and Parishara. Students from Annai Secondary and Woweta Primary Schools were also beneficiaries of outreach.
Further, the Taskforce certified thirty (30) frontline law-enforcement officials from the Guyana Police Force, Customs Anti- Narcotics Unit (CANU), Immigration Office, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Guyana Defence Force during a one (1) day Trafficking in Persons Training Course at the Small Business Bureau Conference Centre, Central Lethem on November 11th, 2022.
During this one (1) day training course participants benefitted from topics such as the Definition of Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling, Indicators of Human Trafficking and Investigative Approaches, Ethical considerations for TIP Investigations and Reports, Application of local TIP Legislation, Direct Assistance and Voluntary Re- Integration into Indigenous Communities, and TIP and Drug- Use.
This training also highlighted the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for law-enforcement officials to identify victims, informing them of their rights and services available, as well as strategies to combat human trafficking.
During the brief opening ceremony, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Diana O’Brien and Mr. Daniel Griffith, Coordinator, Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, Ministry of Home Affairs, extended appreciation to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and urged law-enforcement officials to take advantage of the training and encouraged networking, as combatting human trafficking is a collective effort.
The outreach was well received by residents and training participants and is a testament to the Taskforce and, by extension, the Government of Guyana’s continuous and substantive efforts to build capacity, raise awareness and combat trafficking in persons in Guyana.
Moreover, we would like to encourage persons to use the Trafficking in Persons 24/7 confidential hotline numbers -227-4083/ 623-5030 or 624-0078 (Spanish/ Espanol) – or to make contact with the nearest police station or community policing group.
The Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons remains committed to collaborating with all local and international stakeholders in combating the crime of human trafficking in Guyana through the pillars of Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership.
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