Government’s action plan to tackle human trafficking

A senior government official has reiterated Government’s intentions to honour commitments made at the international level to addressing areas of concerns raised regarding human trafficking.

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Attorney General, Yvette Goddard, highlighted Government’s efforts in this regard, while delivering remarks at the virtual closing ceremony for Advanced Human Trafficking Training.

The training was held under the auspices of the United States Agency for International Development funded CariSECURE project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, recently.

She told her audience that the National Action Plan of the National Task Force against Trafficking in Persons, headed by Attorney General Dale Marshall, was recently approved by Cabinet for a two-year period.

The plan, Ms. Goddard said, was developed under the four Ps: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership, to guide the response to Human Trafficking and the 3Rs of Rescue, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of victims.

The Permanent Secretary added: “It shows Barbados’ commitment to addressing issues of concern, such as identification of victims and/or potential victims of trafficking; strengthening of the national referral system, which is intended to provide a range of social and legal services to support victims, and undertaking an extensive public education programme to sensitise and educate Barbadians to issues related to human trafficking.”

Apart from training law enforcement and border control officials, the judiciary and members of the Task Force, Ms. Goddard informed that the National Action Plan also speaks to fostering stronger regional and international partnerships to incorporate best practices and standards in the island’s response to this crime.

In thanking the local and overseas partners and international agencies for funding, designing the training and providing the trainers, the senior official said the training session builds on an earlier session held in August this year for 51 members of the Royal Barbados Police Force.