Guyana maintains Tier 1 ranking but US trafficking report cites weaknesses, including prosecution

Guyana has maintained its Tier 1 ranking in the latest US State Department Trafficking in Persons’ Report and the government is being lauded for demonstrating “serious and sustained efforts” during the reporting period with some 216 trafficking victims identified from a total of 288 potential victims.

“These efforts included identifying more victims and referring them to services, increasing investigations and prosecutions, drafting and funding a National Action Plan (NAP) for 2021-2025 with input from survivors, training diplomats, and conducting a campaign to inform migrants of the Spanish-language hotline,” was how the report described the efforts by the government. However, the 2022 report pointed out that although the government met the minimum standards, it did not convict any traffickers for the first time in four years. And it did not formally approve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to identify victims, provide sufficient security for trafficking victims at shelters, provide enough Spanish-language interpreters, identify any victims among the vulnerable Haitian population, or adequately oversee recruitment agencies.