VZCZCXRO9606
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHBE #0687/01 3332118
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 292118Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0940
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELMOPAN 000687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP, WHA/CEN (BEAL), WHA/PPC (PUCCETTI) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG SOCI BH
SUBJECT:  BELIZE REPLY TO G/TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT SURVEY 
 
REF:  STATE 150188 
 
¶1.  Summary.  The Government of Belize (GoB) continues to take 
significant steps to address human trafficking issues, primarily on 
the public awareness and investigative fronts.  The Anti-Trafficking 
in Persons Committee (the Committee), continues to meet monthly and 
provides additional resources and linkages to foster 
intra-governmental cooperation.  Belize still takes the issue 
seriously and progress continues to be made, however, much work 
remains to be done particularly in the area of prosecution.  Post 
response is keyed to reftel.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Investigating and Prosecuting Trafficking Crimes 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2.  In 2007, the GoB continued its commitment to prevent trafficking 
in Belize.  The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Committee chairperson, 
Anita Zetina, also the CEO of the Ministry of Human Development, is 
dedicated to combating trafficking and has coordinated several 
efforts including the Inter American Development Bank (IADB) 
consultant research and recommendations, training workshops and 
trafficking investigations.  The Committee meets monthly and links 
several government agencies including a tripartite team of police, 
immigration, and social workers from the Ministry of Human 
Development.  In October, the tripartite team worked together to 
conduct an investigation and unannounced raid on a brothel which 
discovered a 16 year old trafficking victim and resulted in the 
arrest of one individual charged with human trafficking.  The 
accused will be prosecuted in the Magistrates Court in Orange Walk. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Investigating and Prosecuting Public Officials 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  In February 2007, three police officers were arrested and 
charged with several counts of trafficking in persons as a result of 
an intelligence driven operation.  The police officers are facing a 
police tribunal and will be standing trial on the criminal charges. 
No other underlying current of corruption relating to trafficking or 
law enforcement officials is known. 
 
----------------------------- 
Increasing Criminal Penalties 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The Human Development Ministry received an IADB grant enabling a 
consultant to perform extensive research on the trafficking 
situation in Belize and to write an assessment and recommendations. 
The Committee reviewed the consultant's report in November and 
expects to implement some of the recommendations such as including 
the Ministry of Health and an additional NGO in the Committee 
membership.  The IADB consultant's assessment also recommended 
increased penalties for trafficking offenses.  The Committee has 
referred the recommendations to the Attorney General's Ministry and 
to the Department of Public Prosecution for comments before 
proceeding to draft amendments to legislation.  The Committee 
continues to discuss ways to incorporate recommendations from the 
IADB assessment but resource and time constraints slow the process. 
 
------------------ 
Other Developments 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  The GoB has also taken significant steps to provide assistance 
to trafficking victims and promote public awareness of the issue. 
To aid victims, it has improved access to social services.  The 
shelters in Belmopan and Belize City were cleaned up and are 
functional.  The Ministry of Human Development received a grant from 
the U.S. Government in September to refurbish the Belmopan shelter. 
The Ministry is currently receiving bids for the project.  Public 
awareness campaigns, largely through public service announcements 
have aired on major television and radio stations, and pamphlets and 
posters in English and Spanish have been distributed to government 
offices, NGOs, border crossings, embassies, and bus terminals. 
Additionally, members of the Committee and consultants have 
organized workshops for care-givers and the public to provide 
information on victim assistance. 
 
¶6.  Members of the Committee conducted several sensitization and 
awareness-raising sessions throughout the country for several 
audiences, including police, prison officers, customs, and 
immigration officers.  The GoB has also been active on the 
international front -- the GoB co-sponsored a resolution at the OAS 
General Assembly in June to explore the possibility of establishing 
a Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism to assess countries' efforts in 
the hemisphere to combat trafficking in persons.  The Minister of 
Human Development also led a delegation to the OAS to discuss and 
review model anti-trafficking legislation for the region. 
 
BELMOPAN 00000687  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7.  Although the Human Development Ministry received a grant from 
the U.S. Government for over US$80,000 in September to combat 
trafficking, its grant linked to trafficking programs from the 
Meso-American Initiative for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS (IMPSIDA) of 
US32,000 was recently withdrawn due to a change in the criteria for 
the funding.  Youth Enhancement Services, which reports to the Human 
Development Ministry, funded by a grant from the International Labor 
Organization, launched a pilot program to eliminate the commercial 
sexual exploitation of children which is frequently linked to 
trafficking in Belize.  The goal of the program is to gain support 
from victims' parents and community leaders, to remove children from 
their places of employment and put them into schools and vocational 
training institutions as well as to prevent other potential victims 
in the Cayo and Belize City districts. 
 
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Comment 
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¶8.  Comment.  The GoB's programs for prevention and protection in 
the area of trafficking continued this year.  Public awareness has 
been raised, progress relating to social programs and shelters for 
victim protection has been made, and law enforcement has been 
rudimentarily trained.  However, the areas of prosecution and 
legislation need improvement.  The Committee needs to push for 
legislative changes increasing the penalties for trafficking-related 
crimes.  The IADB consultant's assessment has laid the groundwork 
but amendments will take substantial time to implement.  However, 
even with tougher legislation in place, limited prosecution 
resources and a general unwillingness of victims to testify will 
continue to impede Belize's ability to combat its trafficking 
problem.  End comment. 
 
DIETER