To combat human trafficking in Guyana, the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (MT-TIP) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) today launched the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when dealing with these cases.
Funded by the United States, the SOP provides the basic guidelines for police officers, prosecutors and other key stakeholders on local procedures to interview victims and suspects, and to investigate and prosecute cases of trafficking in persons.
It is intended to utilize best practices during the investigation process, while protecting the rights of victims and defendants and providing victim care.
TIP can be described as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force.”
Through the task force, the Guyana Police Force and agencies under the Ministry of Public Security have been monitoring the frequency of these TIP cases and implementing strategies to tackle this issue.
Guyana Standard has been informed that the process of consultation for arriving at these SOPs commenced in December 2017.
Inception and validation workshops were held with technical anti-trafficking stakeholders including members of the Task Force, TIP Units and civil society. Consultation meetings were also held with the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Ministry of Public Security, the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Crime Chief and the Ministry of Social Protection.
Following consultations, the content for the SOPs was approved by the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan on September 2, 2019, and its final layout was endorsed on November 21, 2019.
Now, there is a guideline to aid local law enforcement officers and other agencies to deal with TIP cases.
