[dropcap]M[/dropcap]any who fly into Saint Lucia, knowing what awaits them: the sunkissed, slow-paced life of the tropics, would describe as“exciting” their soaring over and around green mountains and the descent to the tarmac outside the tiny airports. But for some, while Helen appears seductively beautiful from afar, darkness awaits. Just a week after the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) provided journalists with a training session on the proper ways to report on Human Trafficking cases, United States President Donald Trump appeared alongside Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a press conference. In his address Trump stated: “There are more instances of human trafficking, smuggling and slavery in the world today, than there has ever been.”
It may be a tough one, to envision the imagery associated with human trafficking as a possibilty within our borders but in 2014 another ugly truth was unveiled about “Paradise Found”. Here, too, it turns out, human trafficking is a concern. In 2017 Saint Lucia was listed among a group of countries in a study conducted by the International Organization for Migration as being linked to the trafficking of children. For the unaware, human trafficking involves the act of stripping a person of his or her rights, transporting or holding him or her hostage in a specified location, and using force or threats to have them conduct forced labour or tasks of any kind. Human smuggling on the other hand, refers to the illegal transmission of a person into a country’s borders.
Although not extensive, Saint Lucia’s recorded history with the crime has listed India, China, Cuba and Russia as likely trafficking perpetrators. In 2014 six Russian and Ukranian nationals who were employed here as sex workers, were rescued by the police and subsequently assisted with return to their home countries after not wanting to co-operate with the police. A case involving 65 Nepali and Indian nationals who in 2015 were told they would be taken to “America” but were instead brought to Saint Lucia for hospitality training made headlines. The government finally assisted the students in returning home, following a near-secret court resolution.
Local police have indicated that with the increasing number of cases, courses have been undertaken to better handle human trafficking cases and the government has since made amendments to Saint Lucia’s legislation to criminalize the activity—both changes assisting with the improvement of the country’s international reputation. On a tier ranking from one to three, three being the best—an indication of a country’s full compliance with anti-human trafficking recommendations—Saint Lucia is currently at tier 2. That is to say, the island does not meet the minimum standards for the eradication of human trafficking; however, efforts to do so are underway.
Other cases of trafficking and smuggling into Saint Lucia have been detected and up-ended by police, although they remain unpublicized, say the cops, for confidentiality and safety purposes. Indicators of trafficking, according to the police include: employees within a business establishment seeming unwilling to answer non-work-related questions, such as ‘Where are you from?’ and ‘Are you enjoying your time in Saint Lucia?’ A person being trafficked may also be observed transiting daily only from their “home” to their workplace, never making a detour. It may also be a person who appears to work unusually long hours, with apparent signs of physical abuse; and a less conspicuous red flag: he or she is grossly underpaid.
The RSLPF has indicated its commitment to doing more work in order to adequately curb human trafficking and to avoid an influx or infestation of perpetrators. The police have advised that in the event a case is detected, they should be contacted via phone or letter. Concealment of the informants’ identities is not a problem for the police.
