MINISTER of National Security Brig John Sandy said yesterday that he will do everything within the law to ensure that human trafficking activity is stopped.
In a press release, Sandy, who was responding to this country’s ranking on the US State Department Trafficking in Humans Report, said human trafficking was a ’heinous and inhumane act’ committed against a person.
In the US report, delivered by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington DC on Monday, Trinidad and Tobago was ranked at ’Tier 2 Watch List’.
Yesterday, Sandy said he ’has taken note’ of the report, and is in the process of studying it and will be holding discussions with the relevant officials on the issue.
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said he would address the issue today at today’s post-Cabinet media briefing.
via www.trinidadexpress.com
Tier 2 Watch List - sounds ominous indeed but what does this really mean? Well according to the US Government Tier 2 means the following:
TIER 2
Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.
The following link will take you to the U.S. Department of State (Diplomacy in Action) site that shows the list of nations on various lists and the various Tiers they have been placed.
Here is the link: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009/123132.htm
To date, I am not aware of anyone who has been caught in trafficking humans in Trinidad and Tobago. There have been rumors and that is as much that I am aware of to date. I can't recall reading about missisng persons turning up in other countries and stating that they were taken as prisoners and placed in this evil system. I do hope that we can put a stop to this if indeed it is practiced in Trinidad and Tobago.
We have been labeled by the U.S. government and I am certain that this new government will take note and also ensure that we adhere to all international standards to position our nation as leaders and not victims with this labeling process (Tier System).
What is your opinion?
