Attorney General Dale Marshall has denied the existence of a “human trafficking problem” in Barbados just days after reports surfaced that a list of undocumented CARICOM nationals including human trafficking victims were in desperate need of assistance.
He was responding to a story published by Barbados TODAY in which human trafficking specialist Dr Olivia Smith expressed concern about the wellbeing of approximately 100 affected people.
But the AG argued that the article gave no direct evidence of human trafficking and suggests that if the academic has such knowledge, it should be reported to the Royal Barbados Police Force’s (RBPF) Sex Crimes Unit.
“We do not have a problem with human trafficking in Barbados. I do not know why this thing keeps raising its head. There is no country in the world that does not have some human trafficking but human trafficking is not a major problem in Barbados and it is wrong for anybody to create the impression that we have a problem with human trafficking,” Marshall told Barbados TODAY.
“I am very disappointed and I can’t imagine that Ms Smith would have that kind of information and not report it to the Royal Barbados Police Force. Those are the systems that are put in place to deal with those types of things. The police force has a Sex Crime Unit which is a member of our Human Trafficking Task Force,” he added.
Barbados’ Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act [2016] asserts that “A person who, for the purpose of exploitation…recruits, transports, transfers, harbours or receives persons into or within Barbados; from Barbados to another jurisdiction; or receives or harbours persons from Barbados in another jurisdiction, is guilty of the offence of trafficking in persons and is liable on conviction on indictment, to a fine of $1,000,000 or to imprisonment for 25 years or to both.”
The legislation also identifies coercion, abduction, fraud or deception; the abuse of power or the abuse of a position of vulnerability; or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person as grounds for a human trafficking conviction.
During her interview last week, Dr Smith stressed that some victims are lured into the country by advertisements for a specific job but are coerced into another line of work when they arrive in Barbados.
“They are forced into the position that they are in because they have no choice,” she explained.
However, the AG stressed that systems are in place to protect both minors and children, but expressed some doubt that many people fell under that category.
“To report that there are 100 cases including potential cases of human trafficking, I would want to insist that the Royal Barbados Police Force be brought into play immediately. I am aware from my own investigations that Dr Smith was able to put the ladies in touch with Minister Cynthia Forde who has been able to receive requests from the ladies as to what they need.
“But my understanding is that these are ladies who are here illegally and never bothered to regularize their status and that is not something that is unique to 100 women in Barbados,” said the AG.
Marshall nevertheless stressed that all persons within the country’s jurisdiction – whether legal or illegal are entitled to equal protection under the law.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb
