VZCZCXRO2503
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHWN #0266/01 0602242
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 012242Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4306
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BRIDGETOWN 000266 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, AND WHA/CAR 
STATE PASS TO USAID/LAC/CAR-RILEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM ELAB KFRD ASEC KWMN PHUM PREF SMIG BB XL
SUBJECT: TIP SUBMISSION - BARBADOS 
 
REF: 06 STATE 202745 
 
¶1. (U) As requested in reftel, below are Post's responses to 
questions regarding Barbados for the annual Trafficking in 
Persons Report. 
 
------------------ 
Para 27 - Overview 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Is the country a country of origin, transit, or 
destination for internationally trafficked men, women, or 
children? 
 
Evidence suggests that Barbados is a destination for 
trafficking, and may be a source and transit country for 
trafficking as well.  The country has a number of strip clubs 
and brothels, many of which are staffed by women from the 
Dominican Republic and other Caribbean islands.  There has 
been recent newspaper reports that parents have trafficked 
their minor children to work as underaged prostitutes in 
Bridgetown's red light district. 
 
¶B.  Please provide a general overview of the trafficking 
situation in the country and any changes since the last TIP 
Report (e.g. changes in direction). 
 
In the case of the 14 Indian workers who were trafficked to 
Barbados at the end of 2005, Surendra Babu was charged as a 
representative of the construction Larsen and Toubro.  Babu 
is answering charges that between October 3 and November 9, 
2005, he and his company employed 14 people who were not 
citizens, permanent residents or immigrants, and to whom no 
work permits had been granted for engagement or employment at 
Kensington Oval (a cricket stadium).  The case is slowly 
working its way through the court system.  (NOTE:  Larsen and 
Toubro were awarded the general contract for the Kensington 
Redevelopment Project and applied to World Cup Barbados to 
bring in Indian labor.  Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 runs 
from March 11 to April 28, 2007.  It is probable that, given 
the government's indirect connection to the case, no movement 
will occur until after CWC.  END NOTE.)  The December 8, 
2006, edition of the Barbados daily "The Nation" reported 
that Barbadian racecar driver Geoffrey Ullyett was accused of 
living off the proceeds of prostitution.  He was charged that 
he "exercised control of movement" of Ukrainians Olha 
Sheherbakova and Anzhela Pantelo in a way that showed that he 
aided and abetted prostitution.  He was also charged in 
another district court of stealing the passports of the 
Ukrainians.  The magistrate later dropped the charges because 
key witnesses were no longer in Barbados.  Another 
development was reported in the February 24, 2007, edition of 
the "Barbados Advocate."  In a front-page article, Chief 
Education Officer Wendy Griffith-Watson, while speaking to 
parents at the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School, states that 
there are parents in Barbados who put young boys of 12 or 13 
into male prostitution on Bay Street and other areas in 
Barbados.  (NOTE:  Bay Street is located in the middle of 
Bridgetown's red light district.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶C.  What are limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem in practice? 
 
The government has very limited resources with which to 
address trafficking.  Understaffed law enforcement agencies 
have no training in exploring the links between illegal 
prostitution and potential trafficking.  The legal system is 
equally strapped with a huge caseload and not enough 
prosecutors to handle the backlog. 
 
¶D.  To what extent does the government monitor its 
anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
The government has no system to monitor anti-trafficking 
efforts.  Officials monitor illegal immigration, but are 
still in the beginning stages of addressing trafficking 
issues in Barbados. 
 
-------------------- 
Para 28 - Prevention 
-------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000266  002 OF 005 
 
 
 
¶A.  Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in the country? 
 
After a series of high-profile cases involving 14 Indian 
laborers brought in to work on infrastructure for Cricket 
World Cup and a recent arrest of a Barbadian racecar driver 
on pimping charges involving two Ukrainian women, the 
government is beginning to acknowledge that a limited amount 
of trafficking may be occurring. 
 
¶B.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the 
lead? 
 
The Office of Gender Affairs in the Ministry of Social 
Transformation is the lead governmental agency for 
anti-trafficking efforts. 
 
¶C.  Are there, or have there been government-run 
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns? 
 
Yes, the Office of Gender Affairs organized four public 
forums to raise awareness of TIP.  These programs were held 
in prominent public areas such as Heroes' Square in downtown 
Bridgetown and Oistins fish market.  The programs were aimed 
at potential victims of trafficking and were geared towards 
raising public awareness. 
 
¶D.  Does the government support other programs to prevent 
trafficking? 
 
The government runs a variety of programs aimed at building 
self worth in women and recognizing and preventing domestic 
violence.  In addition to a shelter for battered women, there 
are gender and equity programs. 
 
¶E.  What is the relationship between government officials, 
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of 
civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
NGOs and civil society are involved with the government in 
the Barbadian Coalition, a group of 15 governmental and 
non-governmental organizations committed to combating 
trafficking in persons. 
 
¶F.  Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement 
agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along 
borders? 
 
There is some monitoring and screening of criminal activity 
in general, but not specific to TIP. 
 
¶G.  Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, internal, international, and 
multilateral on trafficking-related matters, such as a 
multi-agency working group or a task force?  Does the 
government have a trafficking in persons working group or a 
single point of contact? 
 
The Barbadian Coalition is the only mechanism for 
communicating between agencies at this time.  It is still 
developing programs to educate and sensitize key players, 
such as law enforcement personnel and vulnerable communities. 
 
¶H.  Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If so, which agencies were 
involved in developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the 
process?  What steps has the government taken to disseminate 
the action plan? 
 
There is no national plan for combating TIP.  The Office of 
Gender Affairs, Customs Department, Attorney General's 
office, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health, Welfare 
Department, Immigration Department, and the Barbados 
Coalition are coordinating on the development of a national 
plan. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Para 29 - Investigations and Prosecutions of Traffickers 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) 
 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000266  003 OF 005 
 
 
¶A.  Does the country have a law specifically prohibiting 
trafficking in persons--both for sexual and non-sexual 
purposes (e.g., forced labor)?  If so, please specifically 
cite the name of the law and its date of enactment.  Does the 
law(s) cover both internal and external (transnational) forms 
of trafficking?  If not, under what other laws can 
traffickers be prosecuted? 
 
There are no specific anti-trafficking laws.  Traffickers 
could be charged with violations of labor laws, immigration 
violations, and the laws against pimping and pandering.  The 
Barbadian racecar driver was charged with pimping. 
 
¶B.  What are the penalties for trafficking people for sexual 
exploitation? 
 
N/A. 
 
¶C.  Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking for labor 
exploitation, such as forced or bonded labor and involuntary 
servitude?  Do the government's laws provide for criminal 
punishment--i.e., jail time--for labor recruiters in labor 
source countries who engage in recruitment of laborers using 
knowingly fraudulent or deceptive offers that result in 
workers being exploited in the destination country?  For 
employers or labor agents in labor destination countries who 
confiscate workers' passports or travel documents, switch 
contracts without the worker's consent as a means to keep the 
worker in a state of service, or withhold payment of salaries 
as means of keeping the worker in a state of service?  If 
law(s) prescribe criminal punishments for these offenses, 
what are the actual punishments imposed on persons convicted 
of these offenses? 
 
There are no specific penalties for traffickers of people for 
sexual or labor exploitation.  They could however face 
penalties for immigration or labor violations that include 
criminal sanctions.  The employer of the 14 Indian 
trafficking victims was charged as such. 
 
¶D.  What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible 
sexual assault?  How do they compare to the prescribed and 
imposed penalties for crimes of trafficking for commercial 
sexual exploitation? 
 
The penalty for rape is up to life imprisonment.  The penalty 
for sexual assault is up to five years in prison. 
 
¶E.  Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute 
criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
Are these laws enforced? 
 
Prostitution is illegal and the laws are generally enforced. 
 
¶F.  Has the government prosecuted any cases against 
traffickers? 
 
The government is currently prosecuting the management of 
Larsen and Toubro for bringing 14 Indian nationals to 
Barbados to work illegally.  The government also charged 
Geoffrey Ullyett with pimping.  There have to date been no 
noteworthy convictions. 
 
¶G.  Is there any information or reports of who is behind the 
trafficking?  For example, are the traffickers freelance 
operators, small crime groups, and/or large international 
organized crime syndicates? 
 
There are also reports of small time, high-end traffickers. 
Geoffrey Ullyet would appear to be this type of trafficker. 
A third type appears to be companies that are bringing in 
large numbers of laborers to work in Barbados' booming 
construction industry.  A large number of these workers would 
probably be better classified as smuggled as opposed to 
trafficked. 
 
¶H.  Does the government actively investigate cases of 
trafficking?  (Again, the focus should be on trafficking 
cases versus migrant smuggling cases.) 
 
This is an issue that is slowly being recognized in Barbados. 
 As it continues to get more recognition, investigations are 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000266  004 OF 005 
 
 
increasing. 
 
¶I.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and 
prosecute instances of trafficking? 
 
No. 
 
¶J.  Does the government cooperate with other governments in 
the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?  If 
possible, can post provide the number of cooperative 
international investigations on trafficking? 
 
The GOB cooperates regional and international law 
enforcement, however there are no specific collaborations on 
TIP issues. 
 
¶K.  Does the government extradite persons who are charged 
with trafficking in other countries?  If so, can post provide 
the number of traffickers extradited?  Does the 
government extradite its own nationals charged with such 
offenses? 
 
There have been no requests for extradition of individuals 
charged with trafficking in other countries. 
 
¶L.  Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
 
No. 
 
¶M.  If government officials are involved in trafficking, what 
steps has the government taken to end such participation? 
Have any government officials been prosecuted for involvement 
in trafficking or trafficking-related corruption?  Have any 
been convicted?  What sentence(s) was imposed?  Please 
provide specific numbers, if available. 
 
N/A. 
 
¶N.  If the country has an identified child sex tourism 
problem (as source or destination), how many foreign 
pedophiles has the government prosecuted or 
deported/extradited to their country of origin? 
 
There have been reports of children forced by their parents 
to work as prostitutes; however, there have been no reports 
of sex tourism. 
 
¶O.  Has the government signed, ratified, and/or taken steps 
to implement the following international instruments? Please 
provide the date of signature/ratification if 
appropriate. 
 
a.  ILO Convention 182 concerning the Prohibition and 
Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of 
Child Labor: 
 
Ratified May 8, 1967. 
 
b.  ILO Convention 29 and 105 on Forced or Compulsory Labor: 
 
Ratified October 23, 2000. 
 
c.  The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of 
the Child (CRC) on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, 
and Child Pornography: 
 
Did not sign or ratify. 
 
d.  The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking 
in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the 
UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime: 
 
Signed September 26, 2001. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Para 30 - Protection and Assistance to Victims 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶5.  (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Does the government assist victims, for example, by 
providing temporary to permanent residency status, relief 
from deportation, shelter and access to legal, medical and 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000266  005 OF 005 
 
 
psychological services? 
 
As in the case of the two Ukrainian prostitutes, victims are 
normally deported for immigration violations. 
 
¶B.  Does the government provide funding or other forms of 
support to foreign or domestic NGOs for services to victims? 
 
No. 
 
¶C.  Do the government's law enforcement and social services 
personnel have a formal system of identifying victims of 
trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they come in 
contact? 
 
The GOB does no screening for potential TIP victims. 
 
¶D.  Are the rights of victims respected, or are victims 
treated as criminals?  Are victims detained, jailed, or 
deported?  If detained or jailed, for how long?  Are victims 
fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of other laws, 
such as those governing immigration or prostitution? 
 
Victims are generally treated as criminals and expeditiously 
deported. 
 
¶E.  Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking? 
 
Generally no; however, the government is prosecuting the 
employer of the 14 Indian laborers. 
 
¶F.  What kind of protection is the government able to provide 
for victims and witnesses?  Does it provide these protections 
in practice?  What type of shelter or services does the 
government provide? 
 
The GOB has a shelter for victims of domestic violence that 
could be used to protect victims of trafficking. 
 
¶G.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in recognizing trafficking and in the 
provision of assistance to trafficked victims, including the 
special needs of trafficked children? 
 
No, the GOB does not provide TIP-related training.  The 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been 
conducting seminars and training for the past couple of years 
that are attended by government officials from a variety of 
social welfare and law enforcement agencies. 
 
¶H.  Does the government provide assistance, such as medical 
aid, shelter, or financial help, to its repatriated nationals 
who are victims of trafficking? 
 
In rare past cases, that were not confirmed as trafficking, 
the individual's family financed the repatriation. 
 
¶I.  Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work 
with trafficking victims?  What type of services do they 
provide?  What sort of cooperation do they receive from local 
authorities?  NOTE:  If post reports that a government is 
incapable of assisting and protecting TIP victims, then post 
should explain thoroughly.  Funding, personnel, and training 
constraints should be noted, if applicable. Conversely, the 
lack of political will to address the problem should be noted 
as well. 
 
The IOM is working in Barbados with the Office of Gender 
Affairs and the Business and Professional Women's Association 
to educate the public on trafficking in persons. 
OURISMAN