Guyanese Parliament approves harsher penalties for human trafficking
With the passage of the Combating Trafficking in Persons Bill 2023 in the National Assembly on Wednesday evening, the Guyanese government has chosen an aggressive approach to eradicating the epidemic of human trafficking.
Dr Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, stated that the law got substantial effort from local and international organisations, as well as extensive consultations.
“The goal of this bill is to provide measures to combat trafficking in persons, including children, and it establishes a slew of criminal offences with extraterritorial effect, and this extraterritorial effect facilitates partnership and cooperation between Guyana and other states to prevent and suppress trafficking in persons, and, of course, it gives a broader scope to punish offenders,” she explained.
Anyone who commits the offense now faces a five-year prison sentence if convicted on summary conviction. Conviction on indictment means a life sentence in jail.
Persaud further stated that efforts at conspiracy or complacent actions of trafficking will result in large penalties, prosecutions, and convictions.
“The measure addresses the formation of the ministerial task force. The president must appoint the ministerial task force established by this legislation. Members of the task group will come from a variety of fields, including immigration, law enforcement, legal affairs, international affairs, public health and Amerindian affairs, human services, and social security.
“It will be led by the Ministers of Home Affairs and Human Services, and it will prepare a plan of action…that focuses on numerous important components dealing directly with human trafficking and also includes the development of a report based on data collecting to be given to cabinet,” she said.
Endorsing the law, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall stated that restitution is a necessary way to punish human traffickers.
Restitution is a legal process that allows victims to recover compensation for lost profits, additional losses, and future costs incurred as a result of being trafficked.
“If you hit the criminal in the pockets, if you financially hurt them, you’ll eventually hurt them.” So, in anti-money laundering offenses, terrorism, guns trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and human trafficking, you will see that notion completely accepted in this measure,” the AG stated.
Robeson Benn, Minister of Home Affairs, claimed that his ministry’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit has made significant progress in combating human trafficking.
“In 2022, we had 22 cases where people were actively apprehended and interrogated, with some arrests, 22 operations with 247 victims screened and interviewed, and one conviction archived.” To date in 2023, five cases have been brought before the courts, 12 operations have been carried out, 190 alleged victims have been interviewed and screened, and two people have been convicted,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Counter-TIP Unit of the Human Services Ministry has educated 2,003 people to recognize victims of human trafficking.
