THE week of activities in commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons recently concluded following a number of impactful events organised by the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the scourge.
The week of activities commenced with an Awareness Walk in Region Five from Number 30 Village to the Fort Wellington Secondary School. It received significant contributions from Food For The Poor.
This was followed by awareness sessions and ‘Anti-TIP Flash Mob’ performances held during the week at Stabroek Market, Mon Repos Market and Giftland Mall.
The week culminated on July 30, 2017 – World Day Against Trafficking in Persons — with an awareness walk in Region Four, from the Bank of Guyana to the Seawall Bandstand, where a TIP Awareness Concert was held.
The Guyana Police Force strongly supported activities throughout the course of the week.
The audience at the concert, which was the marquee event of the week and was co-sponsored by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, was treated to an array of local talent with the pieces performed either speaking specifically to the subject of human-trafficking or carrying an uplifting message.
The performances were preceded by the feature address delivered by Public Security Minister and Task Force Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan.
During the week, the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit (C-TIPU) at the Ministry of Social Protection also conducted TIP Awareness activities in Bartica, Linden and at Giftland Mall, while it also launched its ‘Blu Flame Campaign’ to fight trafficking in persons.
Throughout the week, there was distribution of brochures, posters, flyers and other TIP-related paraphernalia by the task force and the C-TIPU, while the International Organisation for Migration joined in the distribution at the TIP Awareness Concert.
The Ministerial Task Force is extending gratitude to all entities which participated in the events during the week of activities.
This involvement signalled that a number of stakeholders, including citizens not attached to a particular agency, bore a willingness to learn more about the crime of trafficking in persons and had embraced their responsibility in the fight to end the crime.