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I am going to remove the moderation so that your comments will be immediately visible. Please read and adhere to our rules … or just use commonsense!

The State Department of the USA recently released the Trafficking in Persons Report 2011

The USA categorizes the world into four tiers.  Barbados was put into the third category, Tier 2 Watch List, and the same as last year.

Tier 2 Watch List is the same as China. Uganda received a better rating of Tier 2,  while Venezuela was slapped with the worst rating, a Tier 3! The USA gave itself the highest rating, a Tier 1. (Source:  CNN: Slavery report names weak link nations)

Highlights of the Barbados Report

Here are some quotes from the report. The full text can be found at the bottom of this article.

“Barbados is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.”

“Evidence suggests there are foreign women forced into prostitution in Barbados.”

“The prostitution of children is known to exist in Barbados; a high risk group is Barbadian and immigrant children engaging in transactional sex with older men for material goods. There is also evidence that some foreigners have been subjected to forced labor in Barbados, with the highest risk sectors being domestic service, agriculture, and construction.”

“The Government of Barbados does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so …”

“The government did not report data on any investigations, prosecutions, convictions, or sentences of trafficking offenders or public officials complicit in human trafficking during the year.”

“The government did not demonstrate progress in protecting victims during the reporting period. …  the government did not report identifying any victims during the year. ”

“The government made limited progress in efforts to prevent human trafficking in Barbados.”

Tier Placements

Source: Tiers: Placement, Guide, and Penalties for Tier 3  Countries

Tier 1
Countries whose governments fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Tier 2
Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.

Tier 2 Watch List
Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards AND:

a) the absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is significantly increasing;

b) there is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year, including increased investigations, prosecution, and convictions of trafficking crimes, increased assistance to victims, and decreasing evidence of complicity in severe forms of trafficking by government officials; or

c) the determination that a country is making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with minimum standards was based on commitments by the country to take additional steps over the next year.

Tier 3
Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

Details of Barbados Report

Source: Country Narratives: Countries A Through F

BARBADOS (Tier 2 Watch List)

Barbados is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. In a welcomed move over the last year, officials spoke more openly about the likely profile of human trafficking in Barbados, which is similar to those of other countries in the region. Evidence suggests there are foreign women forced into prostitution in Barbados. Legal and illegal immigrants from Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Guyana appear to be the most vulnerable to trafficking. The prostitution of children is known to exist in Barbados; a high risk group is Barbadian and immigrant children engaging in transactional sex with older men for material goods. There is also evidence that some foreigners have been subjected to forced labor in Barbados, with the highest risk sectors being domestic service, agriculture, and construction.

The Government of Barbados does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Despite these efforts, the government has not shown evidence of increasing efforts over the previous year; therefore, Barbados is placed on Tier 2 Watch List. The main obstacles to anti-trafficking progress in Barbados were: the new legislation’s failure to criminalize all forms of trafficking in persons; the government’s absence of formal procedures to guide officials in victim identification and assistance; and the absence of a formal mechanism to coordinate government and NGO actions on trafficking issues.

Recommendations for Barbados: Amend the new legislation to prohibit all forms of human trafficking and prescribe penalties that are commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes; implement procedures for law enforcement officers to proactively identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, such as people in prostitution and migrant workers; enact protections for victims of trafficking, including provisions that provide foreign victims with relief from immediate deportation and ensure victims are not punished for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked; increase funding to the NGO shelter and crisis center to ensure adequate assistance is available to human trafficking victims; establish a formal inter-ministerial coordination group; and raise awareness of all forms of human trafficking – including domestic servitude, other forms of forced labor, and commercial sexual exploitation of children – in partnership with NGOs through the use of radio or other media.

Prosecution

The Government of Barbados made significant efforts in its anti-trafficking law enforcement activities during the reporting period. Barbados enacted the Transnational Crime Bill (pt.III) in February 2011. Inconsistent with international standards, this law requires migration as a necessary element of human trafficking offenses and apparently does not criminalize the forced labor or forced prostitution of Barbadian citizens and residents, only of persons who enter, exit, or are received into Barbados. The law prescribes maximum penalties of 15 years’ imprisonment. These prescribed penalties are sufficiently stringent but are not commensurate with penalties for other serious crimes, such as rape, and are lower than the separate crime of human smuggling. Low awareness of human trafficking among law enforcement officials, as well as the absence of legislation criminalizing all forms of trafficking, were significant limitations in the government’s ability to address human trafficking in Barbados during the reporting period. The government did not report data on any investigations, prosecutions, convictions, or sentences of trafficking offenders or public officials complicit in human trafficking during the year. Barbadian officials contributed in-kind assistance to an OAS-sponsored human trafficking awareness training.

Protection

The government did not demonstrate progress in protecting victims during the reporting period. Greatly hindering its ability to rescue victims, the government did not include victim protection provisions in the new law and did not have a formal policy in place to guide officials in how to identify victims of sex trafficking and forced labor proactively; the government did not report identifying any victims during the year. Officials drafted a formal protocol to guide authorities in the identification and protection of victims, though this document had not yet received cabinet approval. In the past, police have referred suspected victims to the Bureau of Gender Affairs for support services. The government provided funding for an NGO shelter and crisis center providing security and services primarily for domestic violence victims but also for women and children who have been in human trafficking situations. Despite significant financial strain, this organization provided very high quality services, had staff trained to handle trafficking cases, and has assisted trafficking victims. The government provided funding to another NGO that could provide temporary shelter to adult male trafficking victims though there were no reports that any victims were assisted. The government did not have in place any specific policies to encourage victims’ assistance in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking. It also did not offer foreign trafficking victims legal alternatives to their removal to countries where they would face hardship or retribution. The government did not have formal provisions in place to ensure that identified victims would not be inappropriately punished for unlawful offenses committed solely as a direct result of being trafficked.

Prevention

The government made limited progress in efforts to prevent human trafficking in Barbados. There was no formal awareness campaign, but various officials raised awareness of human trafficking through the public debate surrounding the introduction of anti-trafficking legislation to the parliament. The Bureau of Gender Affairs distributed materials from IOM and worked with regional and local NGOs, religious organizations, and community advocates to raise awareness. The government did not have a formal mechanism for coordinating government and NGO action on trafficking issues or a national action plan. The government funded the operation of a hotline staffed by professionals from the women’s crisis center who were trained to identify human trafficking. The government did not report any efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts. The government has not identified a problem with child sex tourism. Barbados is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol.

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Related: Barbados Free Press - Environmentalists puzzled as Barbados added to Ethical Traveler’s Best 10 List

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CNN Money ran an article on the 16th titled China: Why U.S. investors should steer clear

Here is a quote from the article:

The U.S.-traded China stock landscape is a post-apocalyptic wasteland, littered with the charred remains of those who dared venture in with only half of the information they needed prior to hitting the “Buy” button.

You see, investors have found that no matter how much due diligence they’ve done using the corporate filings of China Inc., it hasn’t mattered. Because when a company’s filings contain make-believe or exaggerated data, your analytical prowess is for naught.

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I was just sent this link:

Greenland definitely not for garbage, Barbados Today 2011-04-05 by Shawn Cumberbatch

Not one ounce of garbage will be heading to Greenland, St. Andrew.Minister of the Environment Denis Kellman revealed today that Government was looking to conclude an alternative use(s) plan for the controversial site, originally earmarked as the replacement landfill for the long-standing Mangrove Pond, St. Thomas facility.

Kellman told Barbados TODAY that while he “will soon be making a ministerial statement” on the matter, and Cabinet still had to finalise any future plans for Greenland, one thing was certain — it will not be used as a landfill under the current Democratic Labour Party administration.

Richard Goddard and others have fought for years to prevent a national park from becoming a national dump. I wonder what the government plans to do with the dump site?

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Related: Richard Goddard - The Chicken Farmer who is not Chicken

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Life has been busy, and I have not had the time to blog. At the same time, I felt I should take a couple of minutes to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I hear that the Christmas light show is great at Gulfstream Park but I have not seen it personally.

I will try to publish some recent photos of my Christmas vacation in Lake Louisa State Park, Central Florida.

Thanksgiving in America reminds me of Harvest Sunday in Barbados. I can still remember the planters and small-holders bringing the best of the crops. I can see the tall bundles of sugar cane next to the altar … the huge yams …

Here in America, we are losing that close relationship with the soil, but yet we have so much to be thankful for. It is most reassuring to see the Christian underpinnings of this country assert themselves in this religious holiday. It is very pleasing to note that a people who have much, still have the humility to give thanks to God for what they have. Giving thanks makes us even more appreciative of our blessings.

America is a big country and families tend to be fragmented, yet on this holiday family reunification is the norm. Airports are busiest at this time:  New Yorkers head west to see siblings in Los Angeles, and Alaskans escape the cold as they visit retired parents in sunny South Florida.

Most Americans do not get long vacations, but for many this is a four day weekend. This is a welcome break in a hectic life.

Fast food is a staple of the American workforce, but this holiday is a weekend of culinary indulgence - families and friends get together to create the traditional spread from scratch, including turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, cornbread, green beans and pumpkin pie.

Enjoy your feast, enjoy your family, and give thanks for your blessings.

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Rick Scott is Florida’s new Governor-elect. He is a Republican. His running mate, Trinidad-born Jennifer Carroll, will be the next Lieutenant Governor of Florida!

During the campaign the only sign I saw of Carroll was the name on the Scott-Carroll posters. I did not see anything about her in the local media. When the Scott and Carroll family members were awaiting the end of the long election night, there were several short interviews and clips from their hotel suite in Fort Lauderdale. Today I saw this on myfloridahouse.gov:

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4331&SessionId=53

City of Residence: Fleming Island
Occupation: Retired U.S. Navy, Business Owner
Spouse: Nolan Carroll, of Miami, Florida
Child(ren): Nolan II, Nyckie, Necho
Education: St. Leo University, M.B.A.; University of New Mexico, B.A., Political Science
Born: August 27, 1959, Port of Spain, Trinidad West Indies

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The Trinidad Express ran a nice article on Carroll before the election:Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/woman-magazine/THE_REAL_DEAL-103186679.html

Carroll has been making headlines. Florida’s talking about her. “Black people in America have the philosophy of the Republican Party. When asked, they want less government control, less taxes, and less government intrusion in your life but they are so tied to the Democratic Party.” Her job is to untie those historical ropes that have strapped the black vote to the Democrats. And she has the political muscle to get the job done.

In 2003, she became the first black Republican woman elected to the Florida State Legislature.

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Congratulations, Jennifer! We hope to hear a lot more from you in the near future!

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I was shocked by the news that Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson had tragically succumbed to pancreatic cancer. With the recent advances in treating cancer, I was hopeful that this relatively young man would pull through. Sadly I learned that pancreatic cancer is a deadly form of cancer, and he did not survive.

Mr. Thompson’s concern for others in his last days was most impressive. Imagine penning words like “May God comfort everyone” when you are feeling badly and know that you are about to depart this world.

Keltruth Corp. offers its condolences to his family and friends.

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 Related information from Mayo Clinic

• Definition of pancreatic cancer
• Risk factors for pancreatic cancer 

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According to the CNN Belief Blog, the Druids can now enjoy the same tax advantages as the mainstream religions. CNN Belief Blog, 10-02-10, Britain recognizes Druidry as religion for first time, gives it charitable status

Britain recognized Druidry, an ancient belief that worships deities that take different forms in nature, as a religion for the first time and gave it charitable status on Saturday.

Coincidentally Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican Church, has been reported to have joined a Druid group. This group of “white druids” is reported to be a ceremonial association rather than a pagan sect. BBC, 2002 - When a druid isn’t a druid

Dr Rowan Williams, the next Archbishop of Canterbury, has joined the Gorsedd of the Bards at the National Eisteddfod. He has been criticised for dabbling in paganism. But it’s not quite like that.

Will Druidry become a major force in the British religious establishment?

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In Barbados, Court Marshals are officers of the Court Process Office. When an officer of the court threatens a person in custody it is cause for concern.

Yesterday, September 24, 2010, a Barbados newspaper, the Nation,  carried an article on a wrongful arrest. (See Story Carried in Nation below.) This article prompted me to look up the official court record, where I found serious allegations of violent threats made by officers of the Barbados court.

I read Barbados High Court case No 1495 of 2005, where Anthony Ward successfully sued the Attorney-General of Barbados.  No 1495 of 2005, BETWEEN: ANTHONY RICARDO WARD PLAINTIFF AND THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF BARBADOS DEFENDANT.

Here is the first alleged threat I spotted (quote):

The Marshall that was restrained, had cooled off somewhat but he came to the window and pointed at me and said “I am going to hurt you bad, even if I have to come to the prison to hurt you”.

This quote gives a summary of the wrongful arrest of US resident, Mr. Anthony Ricardo Ward:

Summary of events    

[5]        The facts are derived from the plaintiff’s unchallenged affidavit evidence. 

[6]        The plaintiff was born in Barbados but resides in the United States of America.  He is trained as a Chef and has worked steadily since 1971 here and overseas in senior positions. On 23 June 2005, he came to his homeland, on holiday, and took up residence at Brighton, St. Michael where he owns a house. It was there that the events underlying his claim started to unfold on 1 July 2005.     

[7]        On that day, the Court Marshals were in search of a man with forename, middle initial and surname identical to the plaintiff’s.  At approximately 6.00 a.m., a number of them besieged the plaintiff’s house, broke down his door, handcuffed him, dragged him from the house, knocked him about, placed him in a vehicle and took him away. They took him to the Island’s prison which was located, at that time, at Harrison’s Point, St. Lucy. He was detained there until approximately 2 p.m.       He suffered physical and psychiatric injuries as a result of the episode.

It is scary that an innocent person could go to Barbados on holiday and end up in jail. I wonder what would have happened if this visitor did not have the resources to employ a Queens Counsel lawyer like Alair Shepherd!

Alleged Threat From Female Marshal

11]      The further evidence is that, en route to the prison, the other detainees were allowed to use their mobile phones but the Marshals refused to allow the plaintiff to telephone his sister. When he asked a female Marshal why he was being discriminated against in this way, she threatened that if he did not shut up he would be taken onto a “cart road” and beaten. He took the threat seriously and remained silent.

Plaintiff Not Allowed to Dress

Court Marshals burst into Ward’s residence and caught him in his underwear. They dragged him off in the same condition, where he was exposed to the scrutiny of the other detainees.

31. They had 9 guys in this holding cell and when I walked into the holding cell, these 9 guys were looking at me up and down because I had walked in there in boxer shorts and T-shirt 

To throw a man in jail wearing his underwear is humiliating and degrading. It could also be dangerous.

Story Carried in Nation

Here is how the Nation Newspaper (September 24, 2010) saw it: $50 000 error (http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/50-000-mishap/)

A man, who was wrongly dragged away from his home and imprisoned by court marshals, has been awarded nearly $50 000 in damages.

In a case of mistaken identity five years ago, Anthony Ricardo Ward, a chef, of Brighton, Black Rock, St Michael, ended up in custody for eight hours and was only released after his sister paid an $800 fine owed by another man with a similar name.

Recently Acting Justice Olson Alleyne awarded Ward $25 000 for assault, battery and false imprisonment; $15 000 for exemplary damages and $6 000 for pain and suffering and loss of amenities.

Ward, through attorneys Alair Shepherd, QC, and Philip McWatt, sued the Government, and the parties reached an agreement in November 2007.

Isolated Incident or Standard Operating Procedure?

Mr. Ward must have had a terrifying and degrading experience. I hope that this does not happen again. I also hope that the courts will have the decency to give this innocent man an apology. That apology should come from the top.

I would like to ask Sir David Simmons to elaborate on this story. Sir David was Chief Justice and the head of the Barbados courts at the time of the incident, but he has recently retired from that position.

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Related?

• Barbados citizens beat alleged child molester. Lost faith in police and Justice System?
• Barbados Prime Minister slams retiring Chief Justice David Simmons over the ethics of Simmons’ appointment.

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Disclaimer: While the above allegations are documented, they are still allegations.

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