By John Myers Jnr., Staff Reporter
Pious
SIGNIFICANT LEVELS of sexual exploitation of children is the main reason given for Jamaica's inclusion in a United States Department of State list of countries involved in human trafficking.
In its latest report entitled the 'Trafficking in Persons Report', issued on June 11, the State Department chastised the Jamaican Government and described Jamaica as "a country (which facilitates) internal trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation, particularly connected to the domestic tourism industry." The report also stated that "Jamaica is also a transit country for illegal migrants" and suggested that "some of those migrants may be trafficked."
While Children Ambassador Marjorie Taylor could not be reached for comment yesterday, Claudette Pious, head of Children's First, a non-governmental organisation which caters to abused children, endorsed the U.S. State Department's report. She said children as young as 10 years are being sexually exploited in go-go clubs, prostitution and sex-for-gain activities. Ambassador Taylor is said to be off the island and would not be in office until next week.
The U.S. Embassy in Kingston, in response to queries by The Gleaner, explained that based on the findings of the report, if Jamaica decelerates its efforts to fight trafficking, or does not make progress on the passage of and implementation of the Child Care and Protection Act or other law enforcement efforts by 2004, it runs the risk of being listed as a Tier 3 country which, under the U.S. legislation, is subjected to non-humanitarian, non-trade related sanctions.
The State Department report pointed out that, while the Jamaican Government has been recognised to be making significant efforts to stem the problem, "the Government of Jamaica does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking," despite having full knowledge "that sexual exploitation of children is taking place on the island."
The report pointed to a 'sex auction' ring in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland which was unearthed when "officials conducted a raid in 2001 on (the) area where children were being 'auctioned' off to clubs that promoted sexual exploitation of children."
