Ministerial task force on TIP meets local US embassy officials

Georgetown –Members of the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (TIP), met with United States Embassy officials at the Brickdam office of the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee yesterday.
Ministers Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Foreign Affairs; Priya Manickchand, Human Services and Social Security; Manzoor Nadir, Labour; Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira and Home Affairs Task Force committee member Clement Henry met with Patrick Ball and local embassy Charge d’Affaires Thomas Pierce, to discuss a wide range of issues pertaining to Guyana’s position on the annual country reports put out by the United States State Department.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett noted that TIP is a matter regarded very seriously by Government, and as such its representation at the meeting is an indication of the level of seriousness. The Minister pointed out that meetings such as these are designed to give the US a better understanding of what Guyana faces as it relates to the issue of TIP.
Last June, Guyana roundly criticized the United States State Department, for their Trafficking in Persons Report that placed the country on the Tier 2 watch list for the fourth consecutive year. Then, Minister Manickchand, had pointed out the contradictory aspects of the report noting that since 2004 Guyana has been making serious efforts to combat TIP with the establishment of the Act, a move acknowledged by other reports issued over the years by the US.
A country is placed on Tier 2 if it has failed to take steps to combat human trafficking in the year under review, has not made significant efforts based on commitment to anti-trafficking reforms, and has a significant amount of TIP victims or an increase in its population. 
The 2010 report by the US, had stated Guyana’s non-compliance with its minimum standards, and this was met with stern reject from Government. Thereafter, the US Global Trafficking in Persons office had contacted Government desirous of discussing Guyana’s public concerns, regarding the report.
Government has set up a Ministerial task force, which meets on a monthly basis, mandated to coordinate the activities of the various Ministries in relation to TIP.