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Executives of the Guyana Olympic Association (seated) with athletes and officials representing Guyana at the upcoming CAC Games (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/June 13, 2023)

Minister Ramson Jr. applauded all the athletes from the respective disciplines for being selected to represent Guyana, declaring that representing one’s country is truly the highest honour that can be afforded to an individual.

The Minister thanked the athletes on behalf of the MCY&S, the NSC, and the Government and people of Guyana for their impending service and initial sacrifices, and outlined that the aforementioned cadre inclusive of himself, will remain an unwavering ally.

Enthused by the improved relationship and budding partnership that exists between the MCY&S, the NSC, the GOA and the respective National Federations, Minister Ramson reiterated and assured of the Government’s continued development of the sports fraternity.

He emphasised to the gathering, which also included managers, coaches, a physiotherapist, doctors, Chef-de-Mission, and Deputy Chef-de-Mission, of the many infrastructural projects, programmes, and investment currently being undertaken, as a testament to the visionary leadership of the Government of Guyana to develop the sports ecosystem and its human capital.

He further explained, “The process will not change overnight, but you have our commitment that we are working and will continue to work to ensure that the necessary investments in developing the trajectory and key pillars for sport development and positive transformation of sport in Guyana are strategically made.”

Minister Ramson Jr. further implored the representative delegation to be great ambassadors, teammates, and examples of the nation.

He urged that despite the unique challenges that they might face and encounter, to be supportive of the burgeoning process, to grasp opportunities that are afforded, to develop through perseverance and utilise the challenges and obstacles as stepping stones and turning points for greater advancement in the creation of a legacy for not only themselves but the country which future athletic aspirants can inculcate and embrace.

“It is the orientation of your mindset in a positive direction whether in training in competition or in life that will determine your trajectory in sport and in life. This approach is applicable to sports and in your everyday life. The most successful persons in life and sports are the ones that see challenges as an opportunity for growth,” he affirmed.

Athletic coaches were also provided with the opportunity to have forthright discourse on the challenges encountered.

Nevertheless, numerous managers and coaches expressed their gratitude and thanked Minister Ramson Jr. for his decision to meet with the CAC delegation prior to their departure, which was a novel development and not a reality of the past.

Meanwhile, Vice-chair of the National Sports Commission Ms Christy Campbell extolled the delegation on being selected to represent Guyana and assured the gathering of the NSC’s unwavering commitment to the development of all athletes and the sports sector.

Moreover, Chef-de-Mission Dr. Karen Pilgrim confirmed on behalf of the GOA, that all structures, protocols and systems are in place to ensure that Guyana’s delegation is provided for and that she will work assiduously with the coaches, managers, and other support personnel to ensure that the athletes have a fruitful engagement.

A 69-member contingent will represent Guyana at the CAC Games. The team comprises 52 athletes, 13 technical officials, two medical officers, a Chef-de-Mission and Deputy Chef-de-Mission. Marisha Fernandes is the Deputy Chef-de-Mission.

The 10 disciplines that will feature at the championship are Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Fencing, Hockey, Swimming, Table Tennis and Weightlifting.

Guyana U-19 Women team: Ashmini Munisar (Captain), Realeanna Grimmond (Vice-captain), Cyanna Retemiah, Nya Latchman, Tilleya Madramootoo, Naomi Barkoye, Melanie Dover, Sarah Amin, Jamie Campbell, Lavina Ragobeer, Emlissa Whyte, Tia Isaacs, Laurene Williams and Denellie Lindie.
Reserves: Aliah DeSilva, Tamica Simon, Chelsea Latiff, Cristal Durant, Tamara George, Qzel Sampson.

was arrested by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on September 14, 2022, after she was found with 11.188 kilogrammes of cocaine in her possession.

She attempted to smuggle the cocaine, which was concealed in biscuit wrappers in her carry-on luggage, while an outgoing passenger at CJIA.

In a statement, CANU had said the cocaine would have been worth $12.3 million but once landed in the United States, the street value would have been US$336,000.

 

TIER PLACEMENTS OF CARICOM MEMBER STATES IN 2023 US TIP REPORT TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 2 Watchlist TIER 3 Guyana,
The Bahamas Antigua and Barbuda,  Barbados, Belize Jamaica,  St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago –

 

 

Some of the recommendations emanating from the 2023 Report focused on further increasing investigations and prosecution of sex and labour trafficking cases, review existing legislation on labour requirement practices in Guyana, increasing the number of Labour Inspectors, enforce restitution orders, and reduce our reliance on victims to serves as witnesses in prosecution cases.

To this end, the Ministry of Home Affairs and other key Task Force member agencies, and stakeholders will incorporate these recommendations into our work plans.

It should be noted that for the first half of 2023, the Guyana Police Force – Trafficking in Persons Unit investigated twenty- one (21) reported trafficking in persons’ cases, of which, two hundred and forty- four (244) alleged victims were interviewed and screened, twenty- three (23) being under eighteen (18) years of age.

Further, five (5) persons were officially charged and placed before the court between January- May, 2023 for offences ranging from trafficking in persons, assault, forgery of currency notes and the operation of a Brothel. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has recommended that one of the alleged perpetrators, who was charged and sentenced to prison for the operation of a Brothel in May, 2023, be further charged with two (2) counts of trafficking in persons.   The Guyana Police Force – TIP Unit will institute these charges shortly.

As we strive to build capacity in this area, over one hundred and seventy (170) law – enforcement and community policing groups were trained on the indicators of human trafficking and migrant smuggling along with national referral mechanisms in place to reporting such acts.  Awareness and sensitization was also done with a number of secondary school students in Regions 1,3, 4, and 6. This was a partnership between the Ministry of Home Affairs, Guyana Police Force and Customs Anti- Narcotics Unit (CANU).

While our challenges do remain and continue to evolve, with the increasing use of online platforms by Traffickers to coerce and recruit those most susceptible and vulnerable, the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons and by extension the Government of Guyana will remain steadfast in its approach to countering this crime.

Therefore, it is imperative that law enforcement officials remain vigilant in addressing new and evolving criminal patterns and adapt their responses to investigate and prosecute human traffickers from acting with impunity.

Moreover, the Government of Guyana deems it paramount that partnerships are continued and as such, the Task Force will be expanded to include more stakeholders in the coming months.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude for the individual efforts of each Taskforce member agency in this fight and wish to assure the general public that the Ministry of Home Affairs and its key partners; Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Guyana Police Force, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) are committed to investing the necessary resources to strengthen current strategies, and implementing new ones to build and improve on the achievements gained to effectively and efficiently combat this crime and hold traffickers accountable.

We would like to encourage the general public to continue to report suspected instances of trafficking in persons, utilizing our 24Hrs English or Spanish TIP Hotline numbers -227-4083 /623-5030 or 624-0079 (Spanish) or to the nearest police station.

The Task Force remains committed to working with local and international partners such as International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNHCR, United States Embassy and State Department, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Organization of American State (OAS), INTERPOL and Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) to enhance our efforts to combat this heinous crime.

Members of the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons includes:

1. Ministry of Home Affairs (Chair).
2. Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (Co-Chair).
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
4. Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
5. Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
6. Ministry of Natural Resources.
7. Ministry of Labour.
8. Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Chambers of the Attorney General.
9. Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
10. Guyana Police Force (Criminal Investigations Department (CID) –

Trafficking in Persons Unit.

11. Guyana Police Force – Special Branch Department.
12. Guyana Police Force – Central Immigration and Passport Office.
13. Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
14. Indigenous People’s Commission (IPC).
15. Help and Shelter – Guyana.
16. Food for the Poor Inc – Guyana.
17. Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO).

Hon. Robeson Benn, M.P

Minister of Home Affairs