For the third consecutive year, Barbados has been placed on the Tier 2 list in the just-released annual Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report by the United States Department of State.
Even though Barbados was recognised as having investigated two new cases of human trafficking, one for suspected sex trafficking involving four foreign female suspects, and another for suspected labour trafficking involving one foreign male suspect, the report noted that once again the country failed to bring anyone to prosecution.
According to the very detailed report, which was released on Thursday, Barbados also barely escaped being downgraded to the Tier 3 list.
“Because the Government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Barbados was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3. Therefore, Barbados remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year,” it noted. (MB)
Subscribe now to our eNATION edition for the full story.
For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.