Emphasis On Trafficking In Persons July 23 To 30

The Ministry of Justice will be hosting a series of activities to commemorate Trafficking in Persons Week from July 23 to 30, aimed at raising awareness of the offence and having the public recognize it as a national issue.

Manager of the Trafficking in Persons Secretariat at the Ministry, Keshia West, said the Week will be highlighted by country tours in Rocky Point, Clarendon; and Spanish Town, St. Catherine, as well as a town hall meeting in St. Catherine.

The town hall meeting will be held at the Cathedral of St. Jago De La Vega at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, following the country tours on the same day.

“We are inviting citizens to come out, get information on Trafficking in Person and have their questions addressed. We want them to know that human trafficking is real in Jamaica and they should get the information to find out how to guard against becoming a victim,” Ms. West told  JIS News.

Participants at  the town hall meeting will include the Permanent Secretary and Head of the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP), Carol Palmer; Head of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Deputy Superintendent of Police,  Carl Berry; Director of Safety and Security in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information; Assistant Superintendent  of  Police, Coleridge Minto; and Spanish Town Mayor, Councillor Norman Scott.

The country tours will feature the dissemination of material and literature, and will see the experts interfacing with the public and facilitating discussions.

Ms. West further advised that the Ministry of Justice, through NATFATIP, will also be screening a locally made documentary titled ‘Rescue’, which seeks to highlight the impact and extent of human trafficking Jamaica, as well as create awareness of the methods utilized by traffickers to recruit potential victims.

“This is an activity that we are very passionate about; we are really enthusiastic. A lot of work has gone into the production and we believe it is important for persons to gain an understanding of what our situation is in Jamaica,” she said.

The documentary, to be screened at the Ministry’s offices on July 24 and 28, is expected to be aired on commercial media.

Additional initiatives for Trafficking in Persons Week include the pinning of local dignitaries and officials with the ‘blue heart’, signifying the local adoption of the universal symbol, the blue heart, in honour of human trafficking victims.

This will be done at a press conference on Monday, July 24, at the Ministry.

A church service on Sunday, July 23, at the Pentecostal City Mission Church, 11-15 Blount Street, Hannah Town in West Kingston, will kick start  the week’s activities.

“The hosting of Trafficking in Persons Week seeks to raise awareness in Jamaica. The Government is well aware of the impact of human trafficking on victims and we believe it is a collaborative effort that will be required to stem this tide in Jamaica, so we are encouraging persons to come out to the various activities,” Ms. West said.

July 30 is recognized globally as World Day Against Human Trafficking.

The Week’s activities are being held under the theme: ‘Stop Human Trafficking: Everybody’s Business’.