Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond and acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Roxane George SC yesterday warned that Guyana’s economic expansion, increased migration and the use of online scams were creating new opportunities for human trafficking and exploitation.
In separate messages to mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Walrond said the country’s “unprecedented economic growth and increased migration” must be accompanied by stronger protections for vulnerable persons.
“Opportunity should never become a pathway to abuse,” she said.
Walrond said trafficking remained one of the gravest violations of human rights, depriving victims of their dignity, freedom and security through forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and other forms of abuse.
She said this year’s theme, “Stronger Connections, Stronger Futures: Together Against Human Trafficking,” underscored the need for cooperation among the government, law enforcement, civil society, businesses, faith-based organisations, international partners and the public.
Justice George, meanwhile, described human trafficking as a hidden crime which frequently occurred in plain sight.
She said victims could be found working in restaurants, bars, mining communities, private homes, farms, construction sites and the commercial sex industry, while their exploitation remained undetected.
“Behind promises of employment, education, romance, or a better future often lies deception, coercion, violence, and abuse,” the acting Chancellor said.
She noted that trafficking affected women, men and children of all nationalities and backgrounds and was driven by poverty, inequality, displacement, vulnerability and the demand for cheap labour and commercial sexual exploitation.
Citing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Justice George also warned about trafficking for forced criminality linked to financial fraud, cybercrime, money laundering and corruption.
She said victims were being transported to illegal compounds and coerced into operating online fraud schemes. In other cases, workers were forced to carry out romance and cryptocurrency scams targeting persons globally.
The acting Chancellor also pointed to fake overseas employment advertisements through which skilled professionals could be deceived and transported abroad.
Walrond said Guyana’s response was being guided by its 2026–2030 National Action Plan for the Prevention and Response to Trafficking in Persons and the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2023 and accompanying regulations.
She said the government had expanded victim-centred services, intensified public education, strengthened intelligence-led enforcement and international cooperation and trained frontline officers.
According to Walrond, immigration and visa applications and payments were fully digitised this year to make lawful migration routes more accessible and reduce the opportunities for exploitation through informal channels.
She said awareness campaigns reached more than 4,000 persons in 51 communities across six regions, while specialised training was provided to law enforcement officers, healthcare workers, educators and community leaders.
The Guyana Police Force also interviewed 235 persons during proactive screening exercises, resulting in charges against two foreign nationals, she said.
Walrond noted that Guyana had maintained a Tier 1 ranking in the United States Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report for nine consecutive years but acknowledged that this did not mean the country’s work was finished.
In its 2025 report, the US State Department said Guyana fully met the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. It cited the conviction of one sex trafficker, an order for restitution to the survivor, increased prosecutions and cooperation with foreign governments.
However, the report again noted that the government did not vet labour agreements with China and Cuba for trafficking vulnerabilities. Much of the information and data used in the country assessment was also from 2023. Guyana, Suriname and The Bahamas were the only three Caribbean countries placed in Tier 1.
Walrond said traffickers continued to adapt their methods by exploiting economic hardship, migration, technology and human vulnerability. She pledged increased labour inspections, stronger investigations and prosecutions and expanded services for victims.
She urged migrants and other vulnerable persons to use legitimate employment channels, safeguard their identity documents and report attempts at coercion, deception or exploitation.
Suspected cases can be reported to the nearest police station or through the 24-hour hotlines 623-5030, 227-4083 and 624-0079 for Spanish speakers.
Discussion