‘Three years without identification or support’ flags US concern

Barbados’ anti-trafficking record has come under attack from the United States after Washington downgraded the island’s rating in an annual global report, claiming authorities failed for a third year to prosecute cases or support victims.

Acting Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams said the Mottley administration was reviewing a “serious” downgrade by the US State Department in its 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report released this week.

The country was placed on the
Tier 2 Watch List, signalling concerns about stagnation and possible backsliding in its anti-trafficking measures.

“The Government of Barbados does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking,” the report declared. “Despite making significant efforts to do so, it did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period. Therefore, Barbados was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List.”

Saint Lucia was also placed on the Watch List, a step below Tier 2, while Cuba and Venezuela were classified as
Tier 3. Haiti was designated a special case.

American officials said Barbados was downgraded because it failed to demonstrate overall increasing efforts to tackle trafficking, a key requirement to maintain its previous status. While Tier 2 countries are seen as making progress, those on the Watch List are flagged for declining efforts, failure to identify victims, or signs that trafficking is worsening.

“This is too serious a matter for an off-the-cuff response,” Abrahams, who is also Minister of Home Affairs and Information, told Barbados TODAY on Wednesday.

“I have spoken with the Minister of Foreign Affairs [Kerrie Symmonds] on this matter, and we are in the process of reviewing the report on its merits. After that, the appropriate representations will be made.”

The TIP report, considered one of the most influential global assessments of anti-trafficking efforts, said Barbados missed a series of benchmarks.

It did not initiate any trafficking investigations or prosecutions during the reporting period and has never secured a conviction under its anti-trafficking law, the report said.

The report continued, no victims were identified or assisted for the third consecutive year, it added, and no training was provided to first responders. The government also failed to draft or implement a new national action plan after the previous one expired in 2023.

While the report acknowledged continued screening of vulnerable populations and public awareness campaigns, these were deemed insufficient to maintain Tier 2 status. It also criticised provisions under the Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act that allow fines instead of imprisonment for sex trafficking, arguing that such penalties undermine the gravity of the offence.

The downgrade follows Washington’s concerns about systemic weaknesses, including limited resources and training within the Sex Crimes and Trafficking Unit, court backlogs, and the absence of dedicated trafficking courts.

Barbadian civil society groups told US observers that law enforcement continued to prioritise other high-profile crimes, leaving trafficking cases under-investigated, according to the State Department report.

Experts also flagged inadequate screening among at-risk groups such as migrant workers, women in commercial sex, and foreign nationals on overseas-funded construction sites.

emmauneljoseph@barbadostoday.bb