VZCZCXRO8780
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHWN #0120/01 0581540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271540Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6133
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 5909
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BRIDGETOWN 000120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, AND WHA/CAR 
STATE PASS TO USAID/LAC/CAR-BOUNCY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG PREF ST XL
SUBJECT: TIP SUBMISSION - ST. LUCIA 
 
REF: A. STATE 2731 
     ¶B. 07 BRIDGETOWN 1530 
 
¶1.  (U) As requested (ref A), below are Post's responses to 
questions regarding St. Lucia for the annual Trafficking in 
Persons Report. 
 
------------------ 
Para 27 - Overview 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Is the country a country of origin, transit, and/or 
destination for internationally trafficked men, women, or 
children? 
 
Although no official numbers are available, St. Lucia does 
not appear to be a significant country of origin, transit, or 
destination for internationally trafficked persons.  Limited 
trafficking may exist around the sex trade.  Trafficking may 
also exist in the form of forced transactional sex of minors. 
 However, there is only limited anecdotal evidence for each 
of these forms of trafficking.  To date, no government agency 
or nongovernmental organization has performed an official 
study or survey of trafficking.  In the sex trade, potential 
trafficking victims are likely women from the Dominican 
Republic.  Any minor children forced into transactional sex 
relationship would be native St. Lucians. 
 
¶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). 
 
Evidence of trafficking in St. Lucia continues to be 
anecdotal and mostly tied to the sex trade, with some 
potential cases around forced transactional sex.  The 
government's anti-trafficking coalition has continued to 
develop strategies for combating trafficking and supporting 
victims.  St. Lucia representatives continued to attend IOM 
conferences and benefit from IOM training materials. 
 
¶C.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the 
lead? 
 
The Gender Relations Division and Human Services Division of 
the Ministry of Health Wellness, Family Affairs, National 
Mobilisation, Human Services, and Gender Affairs; the Police 
Department; Immigration Department, which is part of the 
national police force; the Ministry of External Affairs; and 
the Family Court are all involved in the government's 
anti-trafficking efforts.  The Gender Relations Division has 
the lead. 
 
¶D.  What are limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem in practice? 
 
The government has limited resources with which to address 
trafficking.  The lead agency on the issue, the Gender 
Relations Division, has limited staff and resources at its 
disposal.  The police force also has limited resources to 
devote to tackling illegal prostitution and potential 
trafficking.  All organizations that are members of the 
anti-trafficking coalition also suffer from a lack of 
experience and training in handling these issues. 
 
¶E.  To what extent does the government systematically monitor 
its anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
Throughout the year, the government had no mechanism through 
which it could systematically monitor anti-trafficking 
efforts. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Para 28 - Investigations and Prosecutions of Traffickers 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) 
 
¶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 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000120  002 OF 005 
 
 
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? 
 
No, traffickers could potentially be charged under laws 
prohibiting slavery, forced labor, forced imprisonment, 
kidnapping, or enticement for immoral purposes.  No 
trafficking cases have been prosecuted. 
 
¶B.  What are the prescribed penalties for trafficking people 
for sexual exploitation? 
 
There are no specific laws against trafficking people for 
sexual exploitation. 
 
¶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? 
 
The law does not adequately account for labor trafficking 
offenses. 
 
¶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 14 years to life imprisonment. 
 
¶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, as well as pimping, running a brothel, or other 
related activities, is illegal.  The police force does not 
have the resources to sufficiently enforce these laws. 
 
¶F.  Has the government prosecuted any cases against human 
trafficking offenders? 
 
Not during the reporting period. 
 
¶G.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and 
prosecute instances of trafficking? 
 
The government has partnered with IOM to provide training in 
how to recognize and investigate instances of trafficking. 
 
¶H.  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? 
 
No. 
 
¶I.  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? 
 
N/A 
 
¶J.  Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
 
Anecdotal evidence suggests that police officers supporting 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000120  003 OF 005 
 
 
prostitution and pimping activities is not uncommon.  There 
is no evidence at this time whether sex workers frequented by 
police officers are victims of trafficking. 
 
¶K.  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. 
 
There has been no prosecution of police involvement with or 
facilitation of prostitution. 
 
¶L.  N/A 
 
¶M.  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 is no evidence of child sex tourism at this time. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Para 29 - Protection and Assistance to Victims 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶4. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Does the government assist trafficking victims, for 
example, by providing temporary to permanent residency 
status, or other relief from deportation? 
 
The government has established a system of providing 
assistance to trafficking victims.  Although the system 
establishes norms of not treating victims as criminals, the 
system ultimately prepares the victim for return to his or 
her home country. 
 
¶B.  Does the country have victim care facilities which are 
accessible to trafficking victims? 
 
The Gender Relations Division ran the Women's Support Center, 
a shelter for women who are victims of domestic or social 
crimes.  Although it has not been used for trafficking 
victims yet, the Gender Relations Division plans on using the 
shelter for this purpose if any victims are discovered. 
 
¶C.  Does the government provide funding or other forms of 
support to foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international 
organizations for services to trafficking victims? 
 
Although the government does not provide funding to domestic 
NGOs specifically to service trafficking victims, it supports 
the St. Lucia Crisis Center and Upton Gardens Girls Center, 
both organizations that could assist trafficking victims. 
 
¶D.  Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and 
social services personnel have a formal system of identifying 
victims of trafficking among high-risk persons with whom they 
come in contact? 
 
Various government employees have received training in 
identifying potential victims among high-risk persons, but 
this training has not reached all relevant personnel.  The 
government's anti-trafficking coalition has an established 
plan of action to follow once potential victims are 
identified, but does not have the resources to proactively 
search out and identify potential victims. 
 
¶E. N/A 
 
¶F.  Are the rights of victims respected?  Are victims 
detained or jailed?  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? 
 
There are no known victims, but the anti-trafficking 
coalition has a protocol through which the rights of victims 
would be respected. 
 
¶G.  Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000120  004 OF 005 
 
 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking? 
 
N/A 
 
¶H.  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 Gender Relations Division ran the Women's Support Center, 
a shelter for women who are victims of domestic or social 
crimes.  Although it has not been used for trafficking 
victims yet, the Gender Relations Division plans on using the 
shelter for this purpose if any victims are discovered. 
Children could be placed in foster care or in juvenile 
shelters, such as the Upton Gardens Girls Center. 
 
¶I.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in identifying trafficking victims and 
in the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, 
including the special needs of trafficked children? 
 
The government cooperated with IOM in providing specialized 
training in identifying and reaching out to potential victims. 
 
¶J.  Does the government provide assistance, such as medical 
aid, shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are 
repatriated as victims of trafficking? 
 
N/A 
 
¶K.  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 government has worked with IOM, which has provided 
training and assisted in developing standards and action 
plans.  Although the government suffers from a lack of 
funding and personnel, it does not appear to have a problem 
with political will. 
 
-------------------- 
Para 30 - Prevention 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) 
 
¶A.  Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in the country? 
 
The government is beginning to recognize that trafficking 
might exist in isolated sectors and is taking strides to 
counter it. 
 
¶B.  Are there, or have there been government-run 
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns conducted 
during the reporting period? 
 
Yes.  The government has posted trafficking information 
posters throughout various clinics and support centers.  The 
government also addresses trafficking issues during its 
violence against women campaigns. 
 
¶C.  What is the relationship between government officials, 
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of 
civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
The government created an anti-trafficking coalition that 
consists of both government agencies and NGOs.  These include 
the Gender Relations Division, Police Department, Immigration 
Department, Ministry of External Affairs, Human Services 
Division, the Family Court, the Upton Gardens Girls Center, 
the St. Lucia Crisis Center, and the Caribbean Association 
for Feminist Research and Action. 
 
¶D.  Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement 
 
BRIDGETOWN 00000120  005 OF 005 
 
 
agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along 
borders? 
 
When researching potential incidents, the government will 
refer to immigration patterns as evidence.  However, there is 
no preemptive monitoring of emigration patterns with the 
intent of pinpointing potential trafficking problems. 
 
¶E.  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?  Does the government have a public 
corruption task force? 
 
The government created an anti-trafficking coalition 
consisting of various government agencies and NGOs.  The 
government also has a close relationship with IOM. 
 
¶F.  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? 
 
Yes, the government has developed and implemented a plan of 
action to assist trafficking victims.  The anti-trafficking 
coalition (see above) collaborated with NGOs in developing 
the plan. 
 
¶G.  What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts? 
 
None. 
 
¶H. N/A 
 
¶I. N/A 
OURISMAN