Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has objected to the classification of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the 2014 Report on Trafficking in Persons released this month by the US Department of State.
The Prime Minister spoke on the issue, during the official opening of the new Coastguard Base in Canouan yesterday.
In the report, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been placed on a Tier 2 Watch List, which includes countries with a high number of victims, or where the numbers are significantly increasing. It also includes countries where there’s insufficient evidence of acceptable efforts to improve anti-trafficking programs.
Dr. Gonsalves said the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines disagrees with this designation.
Dr. Gonsalves said St. Vincent and the Grenadines has made significant progress in relation to addressing issues relating to Trafficking in Persons, and remains deeply committed to the fight against the Trafficking in Persons.
