THE Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) said, Monday night, that it has taken note of the alleged Trafficking in Persons (TIP) incident/report raised by Leader of the Opposition, Mr. David Granger, in the National Assembly on April 22.

A press statement said, in Mr. Granger’s statement, based on a newspaper report, he, studiously, avoided any mention of the role played by the MOHA as the agency responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Ministerial Task Force on TIP set up by the Cabinet of the Government of Guyana (GOG).
The statement added that the studious avoidance of any mention of the MoHA is in keeping with Mr. Granger’s stated policy to ignore the role and place of the MoHA in addressing public safety and security matters.
“This came as no surprise, notwithstanding its inconsistency with the reality on the ground,” the ministry said.
The statement continued that, regrettably, Mr. Granger is unaware of the existence of the MoHA-led Ministerial Task Force on TIPs and its role in addressing reports on TIPs.
“The Task Force meets on a monthly basis and has had frequent engagements with NGOs as well as with representatives of the diplomatic community. The Task Force has established fruitful international connections with sister organisations in Suriname and Brazil as well as member states of CARICOM,” the MoHA pointed out.
It stated that the Ministerial Task Force publishes an Annual Report, has a Work Programme and an established protocol to address reports on TIPs.

POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS
The MoHA said that, apart from ignoring these positive developments, Mr. Granger chose, once again, to target the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
“In so doing, Mr. Granger made remarks to the effect that ‘Police stations are not a safe place for victims.  There are lots of male policemen at these stations.”
The statement added that implicit in Mr. Granger’s assertion is that police stations are unsafe for victims allegedly trafficked while there awaiting either alternative local accommodation or to be transported under escort by the competent Government officials to Georgetown to be placed in the custody of families or relatives.
It pointed out that the MoHA wishes to emphasise that, whenever young girls deemed trafficked victims are brought to any interior police station, such victims are placed under the watchful eye of the female ranks at the police station and not the male ranks.
“It is apposite to note that there are female ranks at almost every police station or outpost on the coast or[in] the interior of the country,” the MoHA said.

RARELY KEPT
The ministry said, moreover, the practice is that alleged trafficked victims are rarely kept beyond 24 hours  at any police station.
The MoHA reaffirms that, in instances where young girls are allegedly victims of trafficking, alternative temporary accommodation to police stations would be found at hotels, the residences of TIP Focal Points, hospitals or hostels.
“This arrangement has worked successfully over the years. While accommodated at these locations, Probation Officers in the regions and female ranks of the Guyana Police Force would be present to watch over the young girls.
“The MoHA denounces Mr. Granger’s effort to besmirch the efforts of the MoHA, the Ministerial Task Force on TIP and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and ignoring, for political reasons, the good work being done by the Ministerial Task Force on TIP,” the statement said.