US praises Young

National Security Minister Stuart Young came in for praise from the US Embassy yesterday for his response to the US State Department's highly critical assessment of TT's migration policies – making no reference to the Prime Minister's heated condemnation on Friday of the US and its own migrant challenges.

In its statement, the embassy said it appreciated the "National Security Minister's balanced approach to the issues raised in the TIP report....", referring to the US State Department's 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report released on Thursday.

Despite having made some progress in dealing with human trafficking over the years, TT remains at Tier 2 status, according to the report – which covers the period up to March 19 – reaffirmed by the embassy yesterday. TT has held a Tier 2 ranking since 2017.

"The report notes progress made by Trinidad and Tobago in multiple areas while acknowledging how Trinidad and Tobago and many other countries, can continue taking steps to end modern day slavery," the embassy said.

The embassy said it looked forward to working with the TT Government "to continue fighting this crime against universal human rights." The embassy made no reference to the Prime Minister's harsh remarks on Friday about the US handling of the Mexican border crisis where he said children are dying, "some in cages". "How have they handled their situation better than ours?"

Despite the Prime Minister's outrage, the embassy said it looked forward to working with the TT Government "to continue fighting this crime against universal human rights."

In a release on Friday, the national security ministry said it continues to work assiduously to counter human trafficking in TT.

"As a result of its increasing efforts, TT maintains its Tier 2 Ranking as stated in the United States Department of State Trafficking Report 2019," the ministry observed.

The ministry said the report acknowledged the various measures taken by the Government to improve the country's counter trafficking efforts in anti-trafficking training for public officials, initiating prosecution, establishing a new intelligence task force to improve investigations, among other areas.

The ministry added it is cognisant of the recommendations made in the report with respect to expanding victim screening services, increasing training on trafficking for non-governmental organisations and shelter staff as well as in furthering increasing efforts to investigate, prosecute and convict traffickers, including complicit officials.