Nepalese nationals being trafficked through Guyana, gov't warns
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 | 10:38 AM, Source - Jamaica Observer
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – The Guyana government Wednesday said Nepalese nationals were being brought into the country for trafficking purposes and warned it will “take strong and decisive action against any person(s) involved in trafficking in persons”.
“The general public is encouraged to contact the trafficking in persons hotline …or the nearest Police Station if indications of possible acts of trafficking in persons are observed, while giving all consideration to your personal safety,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It said that it “is aware of and concerned about the large numbers of Nepalese travelling to Guyana and their purposes for travelling.
The government said it had received intelligence which indicated that from October 14-17, 2014 a group of 14 Nepalese nationals including four females were tracked down to two hotels.
“The majority of these individuals were housed in the Tourist Resort Hotel with their rooms padlocked from the outside. Further, the hotel operator refused to reveal why the doors were locked in such a way. “Adding to the suspicion was the fact that these individuals reportedly did not know when they were scheduled to depart …Guyana for that matter, and claimed to be tourists but did not engage in tourist related activities.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs said more revealing was the fact that the Nepalese nationals were not employed in the area where they were found “yet their rooms were paid for in cash each day, using US currency”.
The Ministry also made reference to an earlier incident in which 12 Nepalese nationals were arrested at the Charity Police Station, Essequibo Coast on December 4, 2 last year and charged with illegal departure from the country.
It said the foreigners had arrived here legally in November, 2014 and were granted permission to stay here for periods ranging from two weeks to one month.
The ministry said that the individuals left Guyana illegally during and were intercepted in Venezuela where they were deported to Guyana, their last port-of-entry.
It said that on December 8, the Nepalese nationals were all charged with ‘failing to present oneself to an Immigration Officer; Contrary to Section 10, Subsection 3 of the Immigration Act Chapter 14:02’ when they illegally departed for Venezuela”.
The foreigners pleaded guilty and fined GUY$30,000 (One Guyana dollar =US$0.004 cents) or two months in prison. They were also to remain in police custody pending deportation.
“The fine was paid and the Nepalese nationals remained in police custody until a writ was filed on their behalf by a person who resides in Guyana for their release,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said, adding that in February this year, the High Court officially overruled the decision made in the Magistrate’s Court to have the Nepalese remain in the custody of the police.