VZCZCXYZ8182
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #0130/01 0631445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031445Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6159
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000130 
 
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 ASEC XL SC
SUBJECT: TIP SUBMISSION - ST. KITTS AND NEVIS 
 
REF: STATE 2731 
 
¶1.  (U) As requested in reftel, below are Post's responses to 
questions regarding St. Kitts and Nevis 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? 
 
St. Kitts and Nevis is not a country of origin, transit, or 
destination. 
 
¶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). 
 
There have been no changes in the situation since the last 
TIP Report.  SKN authorities remain vigilant of the potential 
for trafficking in the Federation, but no evidence suggests 
that any exists. 
 
¶C.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the 
lead? 
 
The Ministry of National Security. 
 
¶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 Ministry of 
National Security, has limited staff and resources at its 
disposal.  The police force has limited resources to devote 
to tackling illegal prostitution and potential trafficking. 
All organizations that are responsible for anti-trafficking 
also suffer from a lack of experience and training in 
handling these issues. 
 
¶E.  To what extent does the government monitor its 
anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
There is monitoring and screening on criminal activity in 
general, but nothing particular to TIP. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
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 
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 anti-trafficking in persons laws.  Traffickers 
could be prosecuted under immigration, prostitution, and/or 
labor laws. 
 
¶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 maximum penalty for rape is life imprisonment.  Indecent 
assault on a minor carries a maximum penalty of 10 years 
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 is not a crime in St. Kitts and Nevis, and there 
is no legislation covering the activities of prostitutes, 
clients, or pimps.  However, it is an offence for a home 
owner to run a brothel or allow his/her house to be used a a 
brothel, and the penalty is a fine.  This law is rarely 
enforced. 
 
¶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? 
 
Since trafficking does not appear to be a problem in St. 
Kitts, the government does not currently work with other 
governments on trafficking cases. 
 
¶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? 
 
No. 
 
¶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. 
 
N/A 
 
¶L.  N/A 
 
¶M.  If the country has an identified child sex tourism 
problem (as source or destination), how many foreign 
peophiles has the government prosecuted or 
deported/extradited to their country of origin? 
 
There isno 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 not established such a system. 
 
¶B.  Does the country have victim care facilities which are 
accessible to trafficking victims? 
 
St. Kitts and Nevis does not have victim care facilities. 
 
¶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? 
 
The governemnt does not currently provide such funding or 
support. 
 
¶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, and 
there is no formal system or screening process which can 
readily identify TIP 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? 
 
No victims have been detected. 
 
¶G.  Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
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 government is limited in the amount of protection it can 
provide for victims and witnesses.  The government has no 
shelters. 
 
¶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 cognizant of the risk for TIP to become a 
problem in the Federation, and remains vigilant in its 
efforts to detect any possible TIP cases. 
 
¶B.  Are there, or have there been government-run 
anti-trafficking information or education campaigns conducted 
during the reporting period? 
 
There are no government-sponsored anti-trafficking campaigns. 
 
¶C.  What is the relationship between government officials, 
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of 
civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
There is a good working relationship between government 
officials and NGOs on promoting human rights; however, there 
are no specific collaborations on TIP issues. 
 
¶D.  Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement 
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? 
 
There is no formal mechanism for collaboration across 
agencies or departments within the government on TIP issues. 
The Immigration Department is part of the police force under 
the umbrella of the Ministry of National Security.  From time 
to time, the Ministry of Gender Affairs will coordinate with 
the police force on issues of crimes against women. 
 
¶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? 
 
The government does not have a formal plan, but has made 
efforts to educate its staff in immigration, the police 
force, Gender Affairs, and Public Prosecutions, as well as 
local nongovernmental organizations, to be aware of the 
potential for trafficking in the Federation. 
 
¶G.  What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts? 
 
None.  The only evidence that there is such demand was a 2008 
study by the HIV/AIDS alliance, that estimated there are 400 
casual sex workers (CSW) in the Federation. 
 
¶H. N/A 
 
¶I. N/A 
OURISMAN