PHILIPSBURG--National Reporting Bureau (NRB) on Human Trafficking, which falls under the Ministry of Justice, has received several reports of possible cases of human trafficking, all alleged cases of labour exploitation.

 

None of those victims requested or was in need of shelter or special care. NRB referred the cases to the Inspectorate of Public Health, Social Services and Labour and the Labour Department for the necessary investigations and possible actions.

 

The organisation continues to work to prevent human trafficking from taking place in St. Maarten, NRB said on the occasion of Human Trafficking Day, which was observed within the Kingdom on Saturday, October 18.

 

Human trafficking is the acquisition of people by improper means, such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them.

 

  The Minister of Justice recently approved and signed the “Temporary Residency” policy guideline, which has been published in the National Gazette. The policy guideline establishes the conditions under which victims and witnesses of human trafficking can receive a temporary residence permit. This is one of the policy instruments implemented according to the action plan Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2014.

Through the “Temporary residency” regulation victims are given the opportunity and are being encouraged to assist in the investigation and prosecution of the offenders of human trafficking.

 

Currently, NRB is preparing for another public awareness campaign and periodically organises information sessions for the representatives of immigrants, the business community and the tourism sector.

 

NRB visits all brothels and dance clubs throughout the country on a quarterly basis. Information is provided about the NRB and how it can be reached should there be an issue of human trafficking. A separate meeting also is held with the establishment’s owner.

 

The Mobile Control Unit of the Immigration and Border Protection forms part of the Interdisciplinary Control Team, which carries out inspections of selected establishments twice a week. The types of establishments that fall under this control are clubs, hotels, security companies, day care centres, construction companies, beauty salons, car rental companies, laundry cleaning companies and restaurants.

 

The goals of these controls are to enforce employers’ compliance with labour and health regulations (working hours, safety measures, overtime payment); to enforce that employers pay employees’ social and health insurance; to enforce the National Ordinance Admission and Expulsion; to enforce fire-safety measures and building codes; to enforce economic regulations (operational licences, business licences); and to establish whether the guidelines and rules against human trafficking are adhered to.

NRB also works closely with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Organization and Safe Haven, and is to meet twice yearly with family doctors, St. Maarten Medical Center, Community Police, Ambulance Services and the Border Control/Mobile Unit with respect to information updates and indicators regarding human trafficking.

 

The Ministry of Justice has been working with Kingdom partners based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was updated in June 2011 and signed by the Ministers of Justice within the Kingdom. In August 2013, the Minister of Justice adopted a plan of approach from the National Coordinator for Human Trafficking for the executing of the agreements made in the MOU and for the execution of the recommendations of the TIP Report 2013.

 

The National Coordinator established the NRB in September 2013 as the executing agency for prevention of and protection from human trafficking.

Smuggling of migrants involves the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a state of which that person is not a national or resident. Virtually every country in the world is affected by these crimes.

 

The challenge for all countries, rich and poor, is to target the criminals who exploit desperate people and to protect and assist victims of trafficking and smuggled migrants, many of whom endure unimaginable hardships in their bid for a better life, NRB stated.